Gowdy: List of Visa Overstays Should Be Sent to Firearms Dealers

(CNSNews) - Never mind the secret and mysterious government watchlists: The government could and should be sending its list of people who overstay their visas to federally licensed firearms dealers, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) told two Obama administration officials on Thursday.

Speaking at a hearing on foreign travelers and national security, Gowdy said three groups of people currently are barred by law from purchasing or possessing a firearms, including people in the country without permission; people who overstay their visas; and even, in most cases, people who are here on a valid visa.

"Are those lists made available to federally licensed firearms dealers so they can make sure they don't sell firearms to those three categories of prohibited people?" Gowdy asked Leon Rodriguez, the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and John Bersin, assistant secretary of Homeland Security.

"Mr. Gowdy, I'm just not familiar with the ATF process with regard to that," Bersin replied. "I don't believe that DHS circulates those lists," he added.

"Well, this is the frustration that I face, is that I listen to an administration call for additional gun laws," Gowdy said. "They want additional gun control in the wake of almost every tragedy. That's the very first place they run. And it just forces me to ask, well, I wonder how we're doing with the current gun laws that we have?"

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