Why wouldn’t terrorists consider legal immigration as a reasonable way to get into America?
The legal immigration system is based primarily on family reunification. It is so complex and slow-moving that no terrorist would waste time on this admissions route when other, easier ones exist. Even after a valid application is filed, processing by the INS is slow and full of frustration. The number of applications far exceeds the number of available visas. For instance, once the INS approves an application for the Filipino brother or sister of an adult US citizen, the applicant still has to wait more than 20 years to obtain a US immigrant visa. Refugee resettlement is another immigration subset. Terrorists are even less likely to come as refugees. An applicant must demonstrate that he or she has a well-founded fear of persecution in order to qualify for the US resettlement program. Even then, only a small percent of those who qualify are actually selected. For instance, a Congolese family who arrived in St. Louis last September was one of nine families selected for the US program f
