By Montezuma Cruz
Mandatory polygraph tests for all people applying for visas or asylum in the United States would provide protection against infiltration by foreign agents.
This suggestion was made this week by Samuel Sales Saraiva, an American citizen born in Brazil. “It would guarantee fairness and prevent the infiltration of foreign agents, enabled when judges and immigration officers are misled to erroneous decisions based on fraud or frivolous premises,” he says in a letter sent to re-elected President Donald Trump.
According to Saraiva, such a procedure could be extended to requests made through American embassies, in order to identify shady motivation or intention to overstay the granted period. The operation of the polygraph for this purpose would be funded by fees paid by the applicants. According to Samuel, the project would create new jobs, especially for young people, “at zero cost to the public authorities.”
“Well-intentioned candidates will certainly understand the additional security procedures adopted, like the thorough checks implemented at ports of entry after the September 11 attacks,” says Saraiva.
He also points out that the polygraph tests meet the practical and philosophical objectives of security and would be easy to implement. In addition, it would open up more job opportunities for polygraph technicians and professionals in the areas of security and psychology, making fraud more difficult.
“People applying for visas for health reasons, as well as adults over the age of 60 and children, may eventually be exempted from the polygraph test, according to normative criteria yet to be established,” he added.
How does the polygraph detect lies?
The polygraph, popularly known as a “lie detector,” uses a sensor to measure physiological responses to a series of stimuli (questions), allowing specialists to infer whether the answers are true or false, by monitoring respiratory rate, blood pressure, sweat and heart rate.
Preparing for a polygraph test
Be physically well and don’t worry about the details. If you feel nervous about minor things, avoid overthinking or distracting yourself with unrelated thoughts. Refrain from using physical or mental tricks to influence the outcome. Lastly, if you have any questions, consult the team conducting the test.
________
The letter, in full (translated version)
U.S. President Donald Trump
The White House – 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue – Washington, DC
URGENT
Olney, MD. Jan 14, 2025
CC:
Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Hon. TOM HOMAN, Secretary of the State Department, Hon. MARCO RUBIO, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency – CIA, Hon. JOHN TATCLIFFE
Subject: Suggests expanding the use of the polygraph test, making it mandatory in all applications for visas or asylum, to ensure fairness and to prevent infiltration of foreign agents as a result of immigration officers and judges being misled to make erroneous decisions based on fraud or frivolous premises. The same procedure could be extended to applications made through our consulates, in order to identify suspicious purposes or intention to overstay. The implementation of this procedure would be funded by fees paid by the applicants and would create new jobs for hundreds of young people, at zero cost to the public authorities.
Dear Mr. President Trump, and Honorables Cabinet Members:
Explanatory statement
The community formed by security, information and intelligence agencies knows the validity and strategic importance of polygraph tests, which have been used for decades in different situations. Our reality is one of insecurity, with the growing tendency for foreigners to converge to our nation for the most diverse purposes — including terrorists. They rely on the help of legal professionals with no commitment to ethics, justice or the protection of the country. Acting as mercenaries, they contribute to making national internal security vulnerable, in exchange for money or for personal interests that are harmful to society.
These occurrences have caused considerable damage, by granting visas, residency and citizenship to enemies of the country, who do not identify with the values of our society, or who have criminal records that escape the knowledge of the consular authorities. The polygraph test could include objective questions about criminal records or ongoing lawsuits in the courts of the applicant’s country of origin. The time it takes to carry out the test is relatively short, and its benefits would materialize as greater efficiency in screenings and the safety of everyone. Well-intentioned candidates would certainly understand the additional security procedures adopted, like the thorough checks implemented at ports of entry after the September 11 attacks.
Among the positive results of the implementation of the polygraph test, it is possible to foresee greater security in the decisions made by consular immigration agents regarding visas for permanent residence, tourism, work, business, studies, or asylum.
We know that nothing is static, and the need to improve the bureaucratic system to minimize fraudulent immigration is permanent. The challenge is enormous if we are to continue to exist as a nation. Given the dangerous reality, new measures are required, whether it’s building walls, electrifying them, even arming the civilian population to help the security forces in a process of interaction between State and Society, or ensuring that children of undocumented people receive only the nationality of their parents.
Polygraph tests would meet the practical and philosophical objectives of security, would be easy to apply, and would improve the immigration system, making fraud more difficult, as well as allowing more jobs to be created.
It would be an honor for me to be able to contribute to any instance, within the limits of my ability and knowledge on the subject. Inspired by the duty imposed by the exercise of citizenship, I offer you my sincere thanks.
Act in order to avoid possible unpleasant consequences later, even if this seems unnecessary. “Better safe than sorry”.
Samuel Sales (Saraiva)
___________
Presentation:
I am an ideologist by vocation, an American citizen, father of two daughters who have served the Department of Defense honorably, in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines. I live in Olney, MD, and have twelve years of experience in the field of information and intelligence. I have authored many projects and proposals aimed at social engagement and global environmental protection.
In 1992, living in New York City, I began a career in journalism, accredited by the New York State Police Department (NYPD). As a member of the National Press Club of Washington (NPC) and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), I worked as a correspondent for the magazine “Momento Brasil” and the websites “Gente de Opinião” and “Rondônia Web”.
In 2001, I moved to Washington DC and, together with former US ambassador John Kean, created the USLatin magazine, focused on topics about trading and investing in Latin America.
In October 2000, shortly after launching the USLatin Magazine, I was invited by the Executive Office of the White House, during the Clinton administration, to take part in a conference on the subject of “The Growing Importance of the Americas and the Rise of the Latino Population in the United States.”
In 2016, identifying with Republican ideals, I joined other members of the Republican Party in the state of Maryland to voluntarily participate in Donald Trump’s victorious campaign for his first term in office. I acted as an influencer in the Latin-American community, advocating voting for Donald Trump, and offering subsidies to the campaign committee, inspired by Republican ideals. Aware of the challenges that would require competence of the new government to deal with the immigration issue that threatens the future of the nation, I assumed a civic responsibility postulated above sectarianism of any ideological, political or partisan nature.
I kept the same stance in the following elections, in 2020 and 2024. I also authored proposals submitted to the Republican National Committee and to members of the U.S. Congress, focused on improving immigration legislation. Among these proposals, I suggested that children born to parents undocumented in the US should have the nationality of their parents, obtaining a passport from their country of origin, so as to discourage procreation motivated by the possibility of obtaining legal residence after the child reaches the legal adult age of 21 years. I suggested a broader fight against the so-called “maternity tourism”, practiced by foreigners who come to the US on tourist visas, or illegally across the Mexican border, often exposing the lives of children in the arid desert, criminally using them as shields to violate our federal immigration laws. As I warned in an article entitled “Illegal immigration to the U.S. will no longer be attractive when children of illegals are denied citizenship, and citizenship obtained through ‘maternity tourism’ is canceled.” The end of the privilege of children born on U.S. territory to apply for the permanent residence of their undocumented parents upon reaching the age of 21 would discourage procreation as a means of legalization through children. With my cultural background and experience as an immigrant, I could effectively contribute to prevent that the American immigration laws become a mere abstraction.