Small breaches have long tails; clean behavior raises everyone’s odds.
By Prof. MarkAnthony Nze
Compliance Culture: Making Good Behavior the Default
Executive take
Migration systems keep score. A “small” lapse—leaving after the I-94 date, skipping an address update, taking an unauthorized shift—doesn’t just affect one traveler; it shapes country-level risk profiles that influence interview tone, document demands, and approval rates. The remedy is not louder rhetoric but habits: prepare before departure, put duties in writing on both sides, respect calendar lead-times, and allow honest first-time errors to be corrected quickly and with dignity. That pragmatic arc is consistent with the series’ earlier framing on proportionality and selection logic (Africa Digital News, New York, 2026 — Intro).
Why “micro-breaches” move the dial
- They show up in national files.Overstay accounting compares expected departures with confirmed exits or status adjustments; steady gains—especially in short-stay categories—improve a country’s profile (U.S. Department of Homeland Security [DHS], 2024; Congressional Research Service [CRS], 2023).
- They drive oversight choices.Reviews of the student/exchange ecosystem show how compliance data inform future controls and obligations (Government Accountability Office [GAO], 2019).
- They’re preventable with preparation.Evaluations of pre-departure orientation find that plain-language guidance reduces avoidable errors and anxiety (Regmi et al., 2024; International Organization for Migration [IOM], 2021).
- Fair process lifts cooperation.When people understand rules and can correct honest mistakes without humiliation, voluntary compliance rises (Kox, 2025; Urban Institute, 2024).
This echoes the series’ preference for procedures over passion (Africa Digital News, New York, 2026 — Part 1).
Read also: Why Ending Nigeria’s Visa Ban Serves U.S. Interests—Part 5
A simple blueprint: make the right move the easy move
1) Prepare before departure
Offer a 20-minute, plain-language briefing through schools, employers, or community groups. Cover four essentials:
- Status vs. visa(I-94/SEVIS controls stay length);
- Where to see your dateand realistic paths to extend or exit on time;
- Authorized workin everyday terms;
- Who to contactif plans change.
Back it with a one-page handout: dates, duties (address updates; enrollment continuity for students), common pitfalls (unpaid work at for-profits; silent job/location changes), and a phone/email that answers within two business days. Evidence supports this low-tech preparation (Regmi et al., 2024; IOM, 2021). The series’ practical, step-by-step stance aligns here (Africa Digital News, New York, 2026 — Part 3).
2) Put responsibility in writing—both sides
Attach a one-page compliance addendum to every offer or enrollment letter. State plainly what the institution will report, what the traveler must report, the timing for each, and the exact office/email responsible. Promise courteous responses for routine matters and an escalation path for urgent ones. Written, auditable steps reduce disputes (GAO, 2019). This is the “proof over emotion” posture emphasized earlier (Africa Digital News, New York, 2026 — Part 4).
3) Practice ordinary calendar discipline
Ask travelers to set two calendar reminders for the lawful-stay end date—30 days before and 7 days before—each with a short checklist: extend, exit, or consult. Institutions can mirror this with a brief courtesy note at the same intervals. Overstay data show that timely, unhurried planning—not last-minute panic—improves outcomes (DHS, 2024; National Foundation for American Policy [NFAP], 2025).
4) Build “fix-it” windows for honest mistakes
Adopt a standing policy that first-time, minor lapses (e.g., late address entry, clerical enrollment error, payroll not stopped on time) can be reported and corrected within a defined window—documented, retrained, and closed without stigma. Procedural-justice research predicts better cooperation when corrections are clear, respectful, and predictable (Kox, 2025; Urban Institute, 2024). This balances openness with order, consistent with the series’ measured-expansion theme (Africa Digital News, New York, 2026 — Part 5).
5) Aim scrutiny where risk is real
Use an internal checklist for higher-risk scenarios (frequent program switches, unverifiable records, recruiters with sanctions) and publish the criteria so everyone understands the line. International integrity guidance stresses transparent thresholds and proportionate responses (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [UNODC], 2025). The series’ selection-logic thread supports targeting review where it matters (Africa Digital News, New York, 2026 — Part 1).
Read further: Why Ending Nigeria’s Visa Ban Serves U.S. Interests—Part 6
6) Measure, publish, learn
Track the few metrics that correlate with clean records: on-time departures, timely address updates, student full-time continuity, employer start/stop confirmations, and average correction time. Publish a quarterly snapshot with concise commentary and, when a metric slips, the specific fix. This is how a channel stays legitimate and open (CRS, 2023; DHS, 2024; NFAP, 2025). The “show your numbers” ethic in the series supports this (Africa Digital News, New York, 2026 — Intro).
The bottom line
Selection systems reward files that are cheapest to trust. Teach the rules before the journey, write down shared duties, give people daylight to act before deadlines, and fix small mistakes without theatrics. The numbers improve—and so do the odds for the next applicant. That is the compact at the heart of this series (Africa Digital News, New York, 2026 — Part 3; Part 4; Part 5).
Professor MarkAnthony Ujunwa Nze is an internationally acclaimed investigative journalist, public intellectual, and global governance analyst whose work shapes contemporary thinking at the intersection of health and social care management, media, law, and policy. Renowned for his incisive commentary and structural insight, he brings rigorous scholarship to questions of justice, power, and institutional integrity.
Based in New York, he serves as a full tenured professor and Academic Director at the New York Center for Advanced Research (NYCAR), where he leads high-impact research in governance innovation, strategic leadership, and geopolitical risk. He also oversees NYCAR’s free Health & Social Care professional certification programs, accessible worldwide at:
https://www.newyorkresearch.org/professional-certification/
Professor Nze remains a defining voice in advancing ethical leadership and democratic accountability across global systems.
Selected Sources (APA 7th Edition)
Africa Digital News, New York. (2026). Why ending Nigeria’s visa ban serves U.S. interests—Intro; Part 1; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5.
Congressional Research Service. (2023). Nonimmigrant overstays: Overview and policy issues (R47848). Library of Congress.
Government Accountability Office. (2019). Student and Exchange Visitor Program: DHS can take additional steps to manage fraud risks (GAO-19-297). U.S. Government Accountability Office.
International Organization for Migration. (2021). Evaluation of pre-departure orientation training for Sweden-bound quota refugees (Uganda & Niger pilots). International Organization for Migration.
Kox, M. H. (2025). “Where is the justice?” Unauthorized migrants’ perceptions of the legitimacy of the Dutch immigration system. British Journal of Criminology, 65(5), 943–959.
National Foundation for American Policy. (2025). An analysis of the DHS overstay reports. National Foundation for American Policy.
Regmi, P., Sherchan, A., Adhikary, P., & Aryal, N. (2024). A qualitative insight into pre-departure orientation training for aspiring Nepalese migrant workers. Journal of Migration and Health, 26, 101–118.
Urban Institute. (2024). Key findings from the National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice. Urban Institute.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2025). Legislative guide on smuggling of migrants. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2024). Entry/Exit Overstay Report, FY 2023 data. Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans.
