The Bush administration has suspended a pending rule which would have required travelers re-entering the country from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean by land or sea to present passports at entry.
The Department of Homeland Security will delay the requirement until summer of 2008, though by January citizens will be required to present a photo ID and proof of citizenship, such as a birth certfiicate, when entering the country.
The change comes after the State Department became so backlogged with requests for passports that people are having to wait for several months even to obtain expedited passports.
The administration previously waived until September 30 the requirement that U.S. citizens present their passports when re-entering the country by air, requiring proof of application for the passport.
Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff said that the more stringent requirements, part of the so-called Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, would eventually come into effect and that they were required to secure the country.
“Those who believe we should continue to allow 8,000 documents and oral declarations [of citizenship], are playing with fire. They are gambling with the security of this country,” he said.
Critics said the new timeline is unrealistic because of what they called the Bush administration’s abysmal implementation record.
The House Rules Committee chairwoman, Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-N.Y.), whose district includes Buffalo, called the proposal “premature” and “not grounded in reality.”
Roger Dow, head of the Travel Industry Association, said: “This two-tiered approach for land and sea will only make things more confusing for travelers.” — Washington Post
Confused yet? If you have travel plans, you probably are. So here’s how things stand now: If you enter the country by air, you need your passport or proof of application, until September 30. If you enter by land or sea, you need photo ID and proof of citizenship, until July of 2008, when you’ll need your passport.
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Karl Marx would love the popular moves among politicians in various state governments and the federal government to ban so-called "junk" food in schools, and to "put healthy food in" convenience stores and on the tables of those they define as poor. It's a very elitist and arrogant mindset that promotes this ideology, and it needs to be addressed.
Ultimately, the war supporters in Congress prevailed in the vote on the resolution. Still, the vote was significant because it places every member of Congress on the record as supporting or not supporting the unconstitutional, costly, violent occupation of a country that never attacked us. This vote should serve as an important reminder to the American people of where their representatives really stand when it comes to policing the world, empire building, and war.
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Security threats
Jul 02, 2007
People will still find a way in through corrupt cops with bribes or false papers of a dead realative we were told. Other things they are doing is going through illegal tunnels, boats, and hustling we were told. You can look at examples on the Boarder patrol sight. Another problem is the car bombs. They are made by disgruntled realtives we were told too. They can check the cars. Mainly killers and terrorists are very cheap. They will use old ones with no computer in the engine for tracking. They need to design ( which they could easily) a device in a vehicle that would set off an alarm to notify the police if the metal content gets high enough to become a bomb. This would save tons of lives plus money. It would be easy to design too.
We were told.
Jul 02, 2007
This is not our computer or URL. There is a group of Muslim Mexican terrorists that have blue eyes plus blonde hair and other colors.They speak perfect English and are located allover the world including London. It is an extensive network. This is not a rasicst remark but, knowledge obtained by a group of them in the US. There are Muslim terrorists in every culture involved in Al Queda that are not just arabs. IT is important for everyone to be aware and not fall victim to terrorists. People believe the stereo-type that it is only people in turbans and ect.. This is simply not true.
Verbos
Jul 02, 2007
Fact: Al Queda was created by the CIA
T
Jul 02, 2007
There are still so many unprotected roads on the Canadian side.
And you rarely get asked for ID – just the standard where were you born, where were you, where are you going question.
ddhorton
Jul 02, 2007
VERBOS YOU ARE A COMPLETE NUT CASE, PEOPLE LIKE YOU, ARE THE VERY ONES THAT WE ALL SHOULD BE WATCHING, EVEN YOUR FAMILY, SO THEY CAN SEPERATE THEMSELVES FROM YOU, WHEN WE SEE YOUR PICTURE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NIGHTLY NEWS. GET SMART TALK LIKE A HUMAN, NOT A IDIOT. AT LEAST THE GOVERNMENT CAN SEE THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE. BUT THIS MESSAGE IS FOR ALL YOU INDIVIDUALS THAT WANT TO SPEAK OUT, THATS WHAT AMERICA IS ALL ABOUT, BUT WHEN YOU MAKE FALSE STATEMENTS ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT BE CAREFUL, THEIR IS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO PROTECT THIS SYSTEM AND WE DO NOT HAVE TO BE EMPLOYED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO HELP FORCE THE LAWS. GET SMART ON YOUR COMMENTS, BECAUSE WE AMERICANS ARE WHTCHING AND WE WILL PROTECT OUR SYSTEM BECAUSE IT IS THE GREATEST IN THE WORLD, AND IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE THAT OR LIKE IT THEN GET OUT. THANKS MICHAEL FOR THE USE OF THE SPACE. I WILL ALWAYS BE WATCHING.
What the hell?
Jul 02, 2007
Verbos, most likely that is not true or more terrorism would be allowed. Maybe Canada uses a different system for IDs such as magnet strips that a computer reads as you go through. The system is great in the US but, it could always be improved everywhere. Why would the CIA watch morons??? Just curious? Good luck to all including the CIA. We appreciate you!!! The FBI too and all un-corrupt law enforcement. Please protect the entire world from sensless acts of terrorism.
Richard Braakman
Jul 02, 2007
I’m amazed that it’s even news that Al Qaeda was created by the CIA. It grew out of several Islamic groups in Afghanistan that were armed and trained by the CIA to resist the Soviet occupation. This is common knowledge to anyone who was awake during the 1980s. Has it passed out of the public memory already?
Not secure..
Jul 02, 2007
Rumor has it that it was created out of Saudia Arabia before the CIA. Is that true??? Corruption is always evident. Who knows what the whole truth is anymore. It’s who has the biggest gun and the most money. So does that mean Osama is in Afghanistan or Saudia Arabia. He could be here in the USA. People better be careful.
The Threat
Jul 10, 2007
Fact: You’ll never have the facts.