Last Friday, the Departments of State (DOS) and Homeland Security (DHS) announced a reprieve from the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative for air travelers flying from the U.S. to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean. After repeated assurances that the new passport requirement would be readily implemented by January 1, 2008 at land and sea ports of entry, the recent delay by the federal government casts serious doubt on this assertion. Last year Americans crossed the border by land into Canada 130 million times, with 15-16 million Americans visiting Mexico each year.
The announcement came after DHS and DOS admitted the existence of a massive backlog of passport applications as a direct result of the WHTI requirements for air travel, with 18 million applications expected this year up from 12 million in 2006. Travelers will be permitted to show proof that they have applied for a passport and to present a photo-id in lieu of actually having the document until September 30th of this year, allowing the State Department time to catch up on the nearly 3-month backup of pending applications.
The Border Trade Alliance (BTA) has been integrally involved with WHTI by hosting forums on the program to foster dialogue between border communities and the federal government; testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee; and releasing recommendations on WHTI implementation. Last year, the BTA successfully advocated for a deadline extension on implementing WHTI for land and sea ports of entry. The mandatory implementation date was extended 18 months to June 1, 2009 as part of the Stevens-Leahy amendment to the FY07 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill. The BTA continues to advocate for the careful consideration of the impact of WHTI on border communities, which are integrally linked to cross-border tourism and industry and for additional outreach by DHS to educate the public about the program’s requirements.
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