It’s understandable that during the last eight months, American security has been elevated to the highest level possible. The Immigration and Naturalization Service needs to do its part to ensure safety, but it should not close doors in the process.

The INS adopted a new policy Monday, saying non-U.S. citizens leaving the country on an expired visas will not be allowed back until his or her visa has been renewed.

The recent delivery of renewed visas to two hijackers killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks makes it clear the INS has flaws in its system, and it should be criticized for this.

Stronger policies will help keep the INS from making such grave mistakes in the future.

We are a different society and it is perfectly understandable that measures have been taken to provide safety for the 375 million legal residents of the United States.

But a majority of the people entering our country are not terrorists. We cannot forget that.

Some are oppressed people looking for freedom. And others are students seeking an education in schools such as MSU.

International students were not deterred by the terrorist attacks. Applications through mid-January rose from 1,853 in 2001 to 3,029 for fall 2002. And rightfully so. The terrorists didn’t win.

But visa policy changes also will affect many hopeful people wanting to become American citizens.

Just as we want to have a diversified campus, we need to strive for the same ethnic, racial and cultural variety in our country.

We don’t want the United States to become an elusive dream that never may come true for many seeking it.

Keeping an open, though fully monitored, policy only will continually expand the diversity of our great nation.

While it may look like we are punishing others from getting in, we are punishing ourselves by keeping welcome diversity out.

Instead, open communications need to be established between the government and visa holders. Criteria and procedures must be clear and well-defined, for the ease of all parties involved.

Under the new policy, noncitizens must have their visas renewed before they leave the country.

This means visa-holders need to be constantly attentive to the status of their documents. Plans and schedules should be arranged around the visa’s renewal procedures.

Something clearly must be wrong if former procedures were so arduous and unorganized that the some renewal applicants had to go to Canada or Mexico, where the renewal process considerably less time than in the United States.

Safety always will be a concern for our changed nation. But we should not be afraid of every person wanting a visa and another chance at life.

By clearing up the confusing mess that is immigration procedures, we can continue to be diverse without compromising our sense of security.