Tighter Travel to Canada
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 – It may soon take New Hampshire residents a little more planning to drive across the border into Canada.
All travelers entering or reentering the United States by land would be required to have a passport or other specified secure document as of Dec. 31, 2007, according to the proposed Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative under consideration by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State.
And, beginning Dec. 31, 2006, the same requirement would apply to all persons entering or reentering the United States by air or sea from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda.
“We need to ensure that initiatives aimed at increasing the security of our borders do not unnecessarily burden law-abiding citizens,” New Hampshire Rep. Charles Bass said in a press release Monday. “For many Granite Staters, easy access to Canada is essential to their livelihood.”
Bass encouraged constituents to contact his Littleton office with their views on the proposed changes.
Other than a passport, other forms of secure identification under consideration are the Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) card, the NEXUS card, the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) card and the Border Crossing Card, according to the State Department.
Proponents of the initiative say it would strengthen border security against terrorist threats. The proposal is a result of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, which mandated that the Secretary of Homeland Security, along with the Secretary of State, implement a plan that requires U.S. citizens and foreign nationals to present appropriate, secure identification before entering the country.
Because the new requirements will affect many citizens, the two federal departments are seeking public comment on the initiative before making a final decision, according to a press release.
The initiative, which was recommended by the 9/11 Commission, will not affect travel between the United States and its territories.
New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, said he looks forward to working with the Department of Homeland Security on the implementation of this initiative.
“New Hampshire citizens have always enjoyed the ability to cross the Canadian border with relative ease,” he said in a statement to the Union Leader Wednesday. “I hope we are able to develop a system that will allow that to continue while ensuring that we are properly safeguarding our borders against those who wish to enter our country to do us harm.”
John Sununu, New Hampshire’s other senator, said he too wants to ensure that the initiative protects citizens without unnecessarily limiting citizens’ travel.
“I share the concerns of U.S. citizens living along the border who feel the initiative may be overly burdensome, especially those in northern New Hampshire who routinely cross the border as part of their daily activities,” Sununu said in a statement to the Union Leader.
“Make no mistake; in order to help secure our borders, we must verify the identity of those entering this country, including U.S. citizens returning from Canada and Mexico,” he said, adding that to accomplish this “we need to make sure the identification presented to border security personnel is as secure as possible.”
Rep. Jeb Bradley said he sees the initiative as a positive way to protect the country “The events of September 11th showed that terrorists could cross our borders too easily with fake documents, or legal documents obtained fraudulently,” Bradley said in a statement to the Union Leader. “Nineteen of the 9/11 hijackers had multiple licenses and state I.D. cards which enabled them to board the four airplanes and attack our nation. The 9/11 Commission recommended tighter border security by requiring U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors to show a passport upon entry to the United States.” “This will strengthen our border security and establish a universal form of documentation for entry into our country,” Bradley added
