Border: H.R. 702 (2007)

H.R. 702, Secure Border Crossing Card Entry Act of 2007, would establish parity between Mexican nationals visiting the United States who possessed a valid biometric Border Crossing Card (BCC, also known as a laser visa) and have completed the necessary security checks, and Canadian visitors by allowing BCC bearers to remain in the United States for six months (Mexican nationals with BCCs may only stay in the United States for 30 days, while Canadians possessing tourist visas may stay up to one year). It also would retain DHS authority to set the length of time those with BCCs may remain in the United States, would authorize that agency to modify the length of admission on a case-by-case basis if good cause exists, and it would make a Mexican national inadmissible for the BCC admission period if: (1) he/she was inadmissible as a nonimmigrant; (2) he/she had previously violated his/her nonimmigrant status; or (3) the BCC was not processed through a machine reader at the U.S. port of entry.