The rise of terrorism has resulted in numerous nations tightening their borders, including the United States. To protect the U.S. against external terror groups, detailed background checks are often conducted to shed light on those who support known terrorist groups. When government security organizations believe that a traveler has ties to extremists, the entry will be denied regardless of the amount of wealth possessed.
Billionaire Denied at the Border
As the 2016 United States election kicks into high gear, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will be flinging mud at each other to see what sticks in the minds of voters. One of the most recent revelations involves a billionaire Clinton Foundation donor with alleged ties to Hezbollah, a Shi’a militant group linked to extremism in the Middle East.
Gilbert Chagoury, the owner of the biggest construction company in Africa, gifted a billion dollar towards the Clinton Foundation’s global initiatives in 2009. However, in 2010, he was placed on the No-Fly list by the Department of Homeland Security after an investigation into his activities in Lebanon concerning Hezbollah. Despite denials of involvement with Hezbollah, he remained on a “selectee list” of travelers who fly under close watch.
Gilbert’s ties to the Clinton dynasty dates back to the 1990s when he was linked with a kleptocracy that drained billions from Nigeria. In 2015, he was denied entry into the United States, sparking speculation about the nature of his relationship with both Hezbollah and the Clintons. As a result, Donald Trump and supporters have called for the shutdown of the Clinton Foundation due to corruption.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Focuses On Security
U.S. border agents main purpose revolves around keeping Americans safe from external threats. As such, agents operate under the philosophy that “entering the United States is a privilege, not a right.” The main focus of border agents is the enforcement of immigration law, regardless of your financial status and ties to government officials.
If you’re placed on any sort of watch list by Homeland Security or another government security organization, you’ll need to apply to visa programs specifically designed to process people who have been considered a potential threat in the past.
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President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
