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The opinions of individual BTA Border Blog contributors don't necessarily reflect the editorial position of Border Trade Alliance as a whole.

Sep 04

DHS Unveils Public Outreach Campaign on WHTI - Implementing Key BTA Recommendation on Secure Travel

Published by Policy.
in Advocacy, Border News, Travel & Immigration. 0 Comments

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has unveiled the next stage in the agency’s efforts to inform the traveling public about impending changes to cross-border travel to Canada and Mexico beginning in June 2009. DHS has announced its plan to pursue a multi-media advertising campaign regarding the so-called Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) beginning Thursday September 4th during the live telecast of the National Football League season opener between the New York Giants and Washington Redskins. The Border Trade Alliance (BTA), the leading Tri-National Organization on border issues impacting North American commerce and trade, has been a strong advocate for ensuring the successful implementation of the WHTI program, providing as part of their recommendations for successful implementation, calls for broad public awareness campaigns to ensure the public education of the new document requirements under the DHS program.  The BTA welcomes the strong efforts by DHS to educate the public about this impending significant change in the cross-border travel experience.
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Aug 27

E-Verify - States Leading Charge toward Mandatory Use of Federal System to Verify Employee CItizenship Status

Published by Policy.
in Travel & Immigration. 0 Comments

Immigration reform has been an issue on the national agenda for quite some time. Congress’ failure last year to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation has resulted in states taking it upon themselves to enact legislation addressing immigration issues, especially employment-related immigration issues. Included in the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 was a bill that would have created a program called the “Employment Eligibility Verification System.” The program would have been a central database containing immigrant-status information for workers residing in the United States. Additionally, the program would eventually require that all employers compile and continuously update this information on their employees. However, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 was never passed, so states that were waiting on the federal government to pass a workable solution to employment-related immigration issues felt compelled to take action.

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Aug 20

Border Governors’ Resolve to Address Border Infrastructure and Resource Issues

Published by Director of Policy.
in Advocacy, Infrastructure. 0 Comments

Supporting BTA Recommendations to Reduce Cross-Border Delays Impacting Commerce and Trade

At the 26th Border Governors Conference recently held on August 13-15, 2008 in Hollywood, California, leaders from the ten bi-national southwest border states met to discuss a number of shared issues. A number of specific recommendations were put forth regarding facilitation of cross-border trade and travel during the meeting of the Logistics and International Crossings subcommittee at the Border Governors Conference. Among the recommendations put forward in the Border Governors’ resolution:

  • Substantially reduce cross border wait times by 2013 and complete bi-national state-to-state regional border master plans amongst the 10 border states within three years.
  • Request that both federal governments (U.S. and Mexico) incorporate these plans into a U.S.-Mexico Border Master Plan by the XXXI Border Governors Conference in 2013.
  • Support border state requests for presidential permits for international crossings that utilize alternative financing mechanisms to minimize cross border wait times. Use these mechanisms as demonstration projects as appropriate.

The Border Governors’ resolution reflects much of the policy recommendations and project efforts undertaken by the Border Trade Alliance during recent years. During the past year, the BTA has brought forward a groundswell of momentum behind the growing concern of increased delays at land border crossings throughout the U.S-Canada and U.S.–Mexico borders. BTA advocacy efforts toward Congress, federal agencies and national media have resulted in numerous Congressional hearings, countless national media articles, and the introduction of several major bills designed to address the underlying issues driving cross-border delays. In June, the BTA was among the first ever non-governmental organizations to address the U.S. and Mexican Legislators at the 47th Interparliamentary Meeting in Mexico, during the long and prestigious history of this annual, bi-national event.

Several years ago, the BTA was able to lead federal and state governments in securing a presidential permit in one year and leverage funds to build an extra lane for secured cargo in Nogales, Arizona. Nogales land border crossings account for the importation of 60 percent of the winter produce consumed in the United States. However, prior to the construction of the FAST lane as a result of the BTA’s initiative, Nogales’ port infrastructure had not been updated since 1989. This was a historic achievement brought about by the private/public partnership led by the BTA.

Currently, the Border Trade Alliance (BTA), along with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have contracted with the Texas Transportation Institute to implement a system to accurately measure border crossing times, which is critical to facilitate the movement of people and goods across our borders. Last year, nearly $800 billion in goods crossed at U.S. land ports of entry along the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico borders. During 2006, more than 11.3 million trucks, over 118 million personal vehicles, and more than 93 million pedestrians crossed into the United States from these same land border crossings.

As the leading tri-national border advocacy group, the BTA has been proactive in bringing the issue of border delays to national attention. BTA continues to work with government agencies and stakeholders to find solutions to alleviate the arduous delays at our borders and improve the border crossing experience.

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Aug 15

BTA, Key Federal Officials Meet to Discuss Border Security and Trade

Published by Director of Policy.
in Advocacy, Infrastructure. 0 Comments

BTA Lead Panel of Experts on Effective Trade and Commerce

El Paso, TX - On Tuesday, August 12th, Border Trade Alliance (BTA) President Maria Luisa O’Connell addressed an audience of top-level policy-makers and border officials as part of the 5th Annual Border Security Conference. The event, hosted by Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) and the University of Texas El-Paso focused on development of a Bi-National Strategy for Border Protection and Effective Commerce.

BTA President O’Connell addressed the topic of the conference during her presentation. Dallas Morning News quotes Ms. O’Connell in its media coverage of the event:

“Violence has had a large impact on border trade because it affects our perceptions of public safety,” said Maria Louisa O’Connell, president of the Border Trade Alliance. “We have to be careful that we give people an accurate understanding based on facts, not scare stories.”

Ms. O’Connell, addressing the fifth annual conference on border security at the University of Texas at El Paso, said the nation’s preoccupation with tightening security along the border in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks has had an adverse effect on trade.

“That is why one of our biggest challenges now is to restore a sense of balance between trade and security,” she said Tuesday. “The money from trade generates taxes, which pays for homeland security.”

During the “Effective Trade and Commerce” panel at this week’s conference, BTA President O’Connell was joined by panelists Lic. Jorge Cazares Castillo, Director of Border Affairs at the Secretary of Economy, Mexico; Jamie Estrada, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Department of Commerce; and Thomas Winkowski the Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations at U.S. Customs and Border Protection. During her presentation, BTA President O’Connell also stressed, to the many high-level federal officials attending the conference, the need for federal attention and action on border issues, which are of national significance:

“We have to continue to coordinate as partners to examine the comprehensive cross-border system along both our borders with Canada and Mexico, matching resources with needs and ensuring that in providing for the security of our homeland we also protect our ability to conduct legitimate cross-border economic activity that is a critical component to our national economic health.”

The Border Trade Alliance is continuing its efforts to bring national attention to the critical need for increased federal investment in infrastructure and resources at our nation’s land ports of entry. During the past year, the BTA has brought forward a groundswell of momentum behind the growing concern of increased delays at land border crossings throughout the U.S-Canada and U.S. –Mexico borders. BTA advocacy efforts during the past year toward Congress, federal agencies and national media have resulted in numerous Congressional hearings, countless national media articles, and the introduction of several major bills designed to address the underlying issues driving cross-border delays.

Some examples of BTA success in generating national attention and results from last year’s Border Wait-Times campaign:

BTA Requests Federal Action to Support Economic Viability of Nation’s Ports

Americas 2020 Summit: BTA Recommends Solutions to 21st Century Border Issues

House Holds Hearing on BTA Endorsed Border Legislation

BTA Podcast: Senator Cornyn and Commerce Secretary Gutierrez on Border Delays

BTA Podcast: Senator Hutchison & Congressman Reyes on Wait-Times Legislation

Border Trade Alliance Issues Support for Critical Legislation Impacting Border Wait-Times

Benefits of NAFTA Threatened by Cross-Border Wait-times: Legislators push to study effects on Economy

BTA Welcomes Legislation to Study Wait-times - Urges Swift Passage

GSA Administrator Presses for More Infrastructure at the Border

BTA Hosts Successful International Conference on Border Issues

BTA Grassroots Campaign on Border Wait Times

Increased Inspections at the Ports of Entry: 60% check of identification

House Committee Holds Hearing on Wait-times Part 2

House Committee Holds Hearing on Wait-times Part 1

BTA Testifies at U.S. House Committee Hearing on Balancing Security and Commerce

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Jul 31

Border Infrastructure Update: Senate Commitee Confirms Williams GSA Nomination

Published by Director of Policy.
in Advocacy, Infrastructure. 0 Comments

On Wednesday, The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs unanimously approved the nomination of Mr. Jim Williams to become the next Administrator of the General Services Administration, and will now be sent to the full Senate for consideration. Based on Mr. Williams’ distinguished career in civil service, along with his role in the development of the US-VISIT secure travel program - through which the BTA has worked directly with the potential administrator on implementation and community outreach initiatives - Mr. Williams should bring with him an understanding of the unique perspectives of border communities and the importance of our ports of entry (POEs).   Regardless of the resulting confirmation, BTA believes that an understanding of our borders is paramount in an Administrator’s ability to properly manage GSA’s previous and future commitments to improving border infrastructure and land POEs.

Committee’s chairman Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), called Williams an outstanding candidate for the position, saying that he had satisfied concerns regarding a controversy surrounding a Sun Microsystems contract.  Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) echoed Senator Lieberman’s sentiments, stating, “I don’t know if his actions were perfect in retrospect, but I am convinced that his motivations were always in the best interest of the taxpayers,” Collins said. “I believe he is the ideal person for this position at a very critical time.”  

BTA has worked to stress with GSA the importance of expediting the delivery of infrastructure projects and land ports of entry, and looks forward to cooperation with the next administrator. Further, the BTA has urged that Congress appropriate increased funding to GSA and other federal agencies involved in border management in order to better facilitate cross-border commerce and trade. Last week, the BTA sent a letter to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs requesting its members to press GSA to utilize any remaining FY08 funds toward completion of ongoing border infrastructure projects.

The development of new and updated infrastructure at our nation’s land ports of entry is critical in order to sustain the movement of nearly $800 billion in trade (2007), 11.3 million trucks, 118 million personal vehicles and over 75 million pedestrians (2006) across the U.S. borders with Canada and Mexico. Regarding GSA’s role in improving land port infrastructure, Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) during Mr. Williams’ nomination hearing before the Senate Homeland Security Committee, of which she serves as the Ranking Member, perhaps summarized it best: Read More →

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Jul 29

Impacts of DHS Presidential Transition On Borders Uncertain

Published by Policy.
in Advocacy, Border Tech, Import & Export, Travel & Immigration. 0 Comments

Border Trade Alliance (BTA) is closely monitoring efforts at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as they prepare for a transition toward new leadership under the next presidential administration that will affect programs as wide raging as secure traveler initiatives to Border Fencing, which directly impact border communities and cross-border trade.

Faced with the agency’s first ever presidential transition, DHS has begun taking steps to prepare for this daunting milestone, but a recently released report (PDF Download) by the National Academy for Public Administration (NAPA) suggests there is still a long road ahead. Released in April, the NAPA report recommended 22 steps DHS should follow to prepare for the transition, finding that DHS has failed to take many of the necessary steps to ensure a successful transition, mainly in the area of staff. The panel found that as of March 20, 139 of DHS’ 775 executive positions were vacant, of which 83 of executive positions are politically appointed.

DHS has since hired a transitional director and other staff to aid in the process, but NAPA, the Administration Transition Task Force (ATTF) (PDF Download), and congressional committee leaders continue to stress the importance of presidential candidates choosing individuals for key positions as early as possible.

In addition to plans for transitioning leadership and staffing, BTA has received reports through its service on several federal advisory committees, including the DHS and Department of State’s Secure Borders Open Doors Advisory Committee, on efforts underway Read More →

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Jul 24

BTA Requests Federal Action to Support Economic Viability of Nation’s Ports

Published by Policy.
in Advocacy, Infrastructure, Press Releases. 1 Comment

Urges Senate and GSA to Expedite Delivery of Critical Border Infrastructure

Wednesday, July 23, 2008, Washington, D.C. - In a letter to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, responsible for Department of Homeland Security and General Services Administration (GSA) oversight, Border Trade Alliance (BTA) urged expedited fulfillment of infrastructure projects at U.S. land ports of entry (POE), vital to North American economic activity. Overburdened and aging infrastructure at U.S. POEs, combined with new security checks, is now unable to sustainably support an explosive increase in surface trade, up 172% since 1993, totaling $797 billion last year between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners. The result of which is massive congestion at our borders to the detriment of millions of lost dollars per day in supply chain inefficiencies, worker time, damaged goods, lost tourism, negative environmental impacts, and wasted fuel.

While Congress has appropriated funds to both DHS and GSA toward their respective efforts at our land ports, BTA specifically urges the Senate Committee to press GSA and presumptive Administrator Jim Williams, who may be appointed after a Senate hearing this Thursday, to utilize any remaining FY08 funding to expedite the delivery of current port infrastructure projects, as well as fulfill previously outlined strategies and commitments to furthering investment in upgraded and improved infrastructure at U.S. land ports to correspond with the significant boom in trade at our Northern and Southern borders.

“GSA has made great strides and taken positive steps toward delivering much needed border infrastructure, however we need to continue to stress the importance of land ports of entry to our national economy.” said Maria Luisa O’Connell, President of the BTA.

Earlier this year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Assistant Commissioner Thomas Winkowski, acknowledged the need to modernize land border facilities and reduce delays entering the country, calling for infrastructure improvements totaling a minimum of $500 million per year for the next 10 years to enhance and upgrade U.S. land border crossings in order to best fulfill its primary mission of facilitating the efficient and secure movement of people and goods.

BTA feels the Senate, GSA, and the nation should be alarmed by recent statistics that illustrate the economic impacts of inadequate border infrastructure and cross-border congestion. According to the Texas Transportation Institute’s 2007 Urban Mobility Report, congestion caused urban Americans to travel 4.2 billion hours more and to purchase an extra 2.9 billion gallons of fuel for a total estimated cost of $78 billion, with border regions being some of the most affected. In 2006, El Paso had 749,000 trucks northbound crossing from Mexico. The average truck endures an average one hour delay, with delays of up to four hours not uncommon, costing shippers more than $100 million annually.

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Jul 14

North American Border Communities: Our Borders, Our Futures

Published by Policy.
in Environ & Health, Infrastructure, Legislation, Import & Export, Travel & Immigration. 0 Comments

Our North American Border communities reside at the intersection of the worlds most powerful trading partners, exist as a nexus of cultures, and operate as gateways to trade and travel, uniting us with our neighbors in our shared humanity and pursuit of prosperity.

As autonomous municipalities of varying sizes, governed by local, state, and federal governments within distinct geographic regions, Border Communities embody of a variety of specific constitutional elements, resources and needs, but they are not paragons; together they share larger unifying commonalities such as:

  • Impact North American economic competitiveness and national economies.
  • Locally affected by federal policies or programs driven by national perceptions.
  • Need legislation and appropriations that adequately address economic, social, environmental, and diplomatic impacts on communities
  • Collaboration with federal agencies operating at the border
  • Negatively impacted by under-funded or under-staffed federal mandates
  • Need to improve an aging and overburdened infrastructure at ports of entry
  • Desire for community economic development and attractive business climate
  • Directly benefit from increased cross-border trade and travel
  • Citizens that travel and do business on both sides of the border
  • Companies that operate on both sides of the border
  • Suffer from negative PR from inflammatory rhetoric surrounding political football issues such as illegal immigration
  • Inextricably linked with neighboring countries and communities on opposite sides of the border

Of the aforementioned elements that our border communities share in common, perhaps the most important for us to recognize as a group of nations, is the significance of our growing economic inter-dependence on our borders and border communities in an increasingly global economy.

For instance, in 2007, there was close to $300 billion in two-way trade between the United States and Mexico, or to put it in another context $1,000 per American or $4,000 for an American family of four. U.S.–Canada surface transportation trade alone totaled $48.9 billion. Our border communities share the burdens and the blessings that come with facilitating massive amount of cross-border trade and travel activity, and thus their role in our North American economy has never been more vital.

As such, their shared stakes as the managers, representatives, facilitators, and benefactors that understand the everyday realities of our trade corridors, is not to be underestimated. It is imperative that the federal policies, affecting cross-border trade and travel are shaped with input from the invaluable experiences of our Border Communities, whose first-hand understanding of issues unique to the border, can enable us to develop viable long-term solutions, not rubber-stamped, top-down, one-size fits all approaches.

BTA’s belief in the critical importance of our border communities and the power they hold in determining our nations’ economic and physical security, has led us to the development of “Our Borders, Our Futures: BTA Regional Meeting Series,” geared toward creating a dialog between federal policy makers and regional stakeholders, in order to develop sustainable common-sense solutions to critical border issues specific to the needs of a particular region.  The first regional event in the series will be hosted in partnership with the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation in the city of Yuma, Arizona on Sept 19, 2008, with one in Detroit, Michigan to follow later in the year.  To register for an event, or inquire about sponsoring an event in your region, please visit the BTA Events page on the website, or contact:

Luis Arellano at 800.333.5523

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Jun 26

BTA Podcast: Policy Discussions with TIA on Alternatives to DHS Proposed US-VISIT Air Exit

Published by Policy.
in Podcasts, Travel & Immigration. 0 Comments
 
icon for podpress  BTA Podcast: Policy Discussions with TIA on Alternatives to DHS Proposed US-VISIT Air Exits: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This week, Border Trade Alliance (BTA) submitted comments supporting the Travel Industry Association’s (TIA) efforts to offer a common-sense alternative approach to the proposal by DHS on the US-VISIT air exit program. In our first policy discussions podcast, we feature with Rick Webster, Vice President of Public Policy for the Travel Industry Association, a non-profit trade organization representing the interests of the U.S. travel industry, who speaks about the topic of federal secure traveler programs, specifically their work on an alternative solutions to the DHS proposal for US-VISIT air exit program, endorsed by the BTA. Matt Howe, Director of Public Policy for the BTA, also offers his perspective on the issue, with an overview of BTA’s history regarding US-VISIT and what it means to travelers at our borders.

More information on the subject:

US-VISIT is a federal secure traveler program that requires foreign travelers to register upon entry and exit to the United States. The Department of Homeland Security recently issued notice of a proposed rule to implement the exit portion at U.S. air and sea ports. However, The proposed rule is the culmination of a recommendation put forward by the 9-11 Commission and adopted into law by Congress to ensure that the status of foreign visitors can be tracked to ensure that foreign travelers who overstay their visa are identified. However, DHS’ rule places the burden of this federal mandate upon the private sector in order to reduce the federal cost of implementing and managing the program and in doing so, circumvents two of the primary responsibilities of DHS and the federal government, counter-terrorism and homeland security.

The BTA and TIA were part of the Data Management Improvement Act (DMIA) Task Force in 2002-2004, which was tasked with making recommendations on entry-and-exit controls at U.S. International ports of entry. These recommendations were integrated into what is today US-VISIT. The BTA and TIA both serve on the Departments of State and Homeland Security’s Secure Borders Open Doors Advisory Committee.

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Jun 25

BTA & TIA Recommend Alternative to DHS’ US-VISIT Air-Exit

Published by PR.
in Travel & Immigration, Press Releases. 0 Comments

Border Trade Alliance (BTA), the leading organization representing border communities and trade, submitted comments in response to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for implementation of an air-exit system under the US-VISIT foreign-traveler security program. DHS’ proposed rule would require commercial air-carriers to implement and manage the Congressionally mandated exit system under US-VISIT at domestic, international airports, which requires foreign travelers to register their departure from the United States.  BTA’s comments reflected its support of a common-sense alternative proposal put forward by the Travel Industry Association (TIA), a non-profit trade organization representing the interests of the U.S. travel industry. Key elements of the BTA backed TIA alternative air exit system recommendations include:

  • Establish TSA as Exit Entity
  • Build the System that Works Best at Each Airport
  • Authorize Private Sector Alternatives
  • Develop Automated Data Collection Systems
  • Maximize Traveler Experience

The rule proposed by DHS is the culmination of a recommendation by the 9-11 Commission and adopted into law by Congress to ensure that the status of foreign visitors can be tracked to mitigate those who overstay their visa. However, DHS’ rule places the burden of this federal mandate upon the private sector in order to reduce the federal cost of implementing and managing the program and in doing so, circumvents two of the primary responsibilities of DHS and the federal government, counter-terrorism and homeland security.

“TIA is very supportive of the creation of an exit capability….but the DHS Proposal would place this responsibility on airlines and airline personnel, and we think that’s wrong…TIA is putting forward solutions to move this issue forward.” said Rick Webster, Vice President of Public Policy at TIA. “We don’t simply want to tell DHS their proposal is wrong, we want to try to explain how potentially it could be done…”

“We strongly support TIA’s approach to US-VISIT air exit, as we believe in offering DHS meaningful and realistic alternative solutions to this issue.” said Matt Howe, Director of Public Policy for BTA. Read More →

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