Americans Fingerprinted at Brazil Airport

Americans Fingerprinted at Brazil Airport
Newsday
 
January 1, 2004, 6:33 PM EST


SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Brazilian police fingerprinted and photographed Americans 
arriving at Sao Paulo's airport Thursday in response to new rules requiring the 
same for Brazilians entering the United States. 

Federal Judge Julier Sebastiao da Silva ordered the measure Monday in response 
to the new U.S. anti-terror regulation requiring citizens from 27 nations, 
including Brazil, to be fingerprinted and photographed when entering America. 

The U.S. anti-terror regulation takes effect Monday at all 115 airports 
handling international flights and 14 major seaports. It will allow instant 
checks on an immigrant's or visitor's criminal background. 

On Wednesday, Brazil's Foreign Ministry requested that Brazilians be removed 
from the U.S. list, saying Brazil would consider treating U.S. citizens the 
same way upon their arrival. 

"At first, most of the Americans were angered at having to go through all this, 
but they were usually more understanding once they learned that Brazilians are 
subjected to the same treatment in the U.S.," Wagner Castilho, press officer 
for the federal police in Sao Paulo, said of those arriving at Sao 
Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport. 

The processing will continue as long as the judge's order stands, he said. 

Brazil also requires visas for U.S. citizens, in response to a similar 
requirement for Brazilians entering the United States. 

At Rio de Janeiro's Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport, police said 
they were not ready to start fingerprinting Americans. 
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