Yesterday, we shared background information on the forthcoming largest change in cross-border travel to-date. Today we will focus on some of the concerns that have arisen in anticipation of WHTI being implemented at land ports-of-entry. The BTA has supported WHTI as a means to improve security and the efficiency of cross-border travel. The foundation for the BTA’s concerns center on DHS and DOS’ ability to conduct proper outreach to the traveling public, train border officers, ensure for the availability of passports and alternative documents and receive adequate resources from Congress to implement the travel initiative
Ongoing Concerns Regarding WHTI
The ambiguous and changing deadlines for new document requirements, a general lack of awareness about the availability of alternative travel documents, and insufficient public outreach and education about WHTI are cause for significant concern for the BTA. The ever-changing deadlines are confusing and make it difficult to communicate the requirements of WHTI to the public. Although Congress extended the deadline for WHTI implementation to June of 2009, the Department of State website noted that, “while recent legislative changes permit a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to meet all requirements as soon as possible.” Secretary Chertoff has implied in media interviews that WHTI may be implemented by mid to late next year.
Implementation of WHTI will only be successful if the traveling public is well informed about the program’s deadlines, alternative document options and requirements.
Although it was recently announced that PASS Cards are expected to be available in April of 2008, many border community residents were unaware of any details about the PASS Card, or the availability of other WHTI compliant documents. The BTA has received reports that some constituents in border communities are picking up extra shifts and taking out loans to cover the cost of passports for the entire family in anticipation of a January deadline. More effort needs to be made by DHS and DOS to inform the public about the new document requirements. The implementation of WHTI is a huge change of life for residents of border communities who cross the border on a daily basis for recreational, familial, educational and commercial purposes.
The livelihoods of millions of border community residents needs to be taken into consideration when DHS and DOS are implementing WHTI, and they need to be conducting outreach strategies that will ensure that residents are adequately prepared for such a significant transition in their cross-border travel experience. WHTI ultimately affects any U.S. citizen traveling to Canada, the Caribbean or Mexico, therefore public outreach campaigns should not be limited only to the border regions. To-date, the travel industry has largely shouldered the burden of informing the public about WHTI. The federal government and agencies responsible for implementing the new requirement need to employ a comprehensive marketing strategy to spread the word. It is disturbing that for such an important travel initiative with such a fast-approaching deadline, many U.S. citizens have never even heard of WHTI.
BTA Position on WHTI
The Border Trade Alliance believes that homeland security can coexist with economic security. The nationwide media attention given to wait times at the ports of entry, along with the BTA’s aggressive grassroots campaign to inform the media, Congress and the public about challenges at the ports of entry has led some government agencies and officials to come to the conclusion that the BTA does not fully support measures aimed at securing our homeland. The truth is, the BTA supports security, not the appearance of security. We support effective legislation that efficiently uses the resources generated by our hard-working taxpayers. We support WHTI, but we will continue to advocate for it to be implemented in a way that is conducive to the needs of the general public and that protects our economic security. We will also continue to call upon lawmakers to provide sufficient funding and resources to federal agencies so that they may be successful in implementing the programs and policies mandated by Congress.
The mission of the BTA is to be the voice of the border, and we will continue to bring the challenges and concerns of our constituents to the attention of the media, Congress, and the nation until those issues are addressed.
BTA Advocacy
Recently the BTA met with representatives from CBP and DHS to discuss WHTI as well as other border issues. The meeting served as an opportunity for each group to discuss its positions on the critical issues affecting our borders, as well as a commitment to work together to overcome these challenges. The BTA offered its assistance to CBP and DOS to educate the public about WHTI requirements, and in return they agreed to participate in BTA meetings as a means of disseminating this information. Our first meeting will take place on December 11th in Nogales, AZ. Registration information and a current agenda can be found in the Regional Meetings area of our site, or contact Luis Arellano at 800-333-5523 ext.101.
2 Comments
The border crossing issue is and should be figuring out a guest workers program, not tourism in Nogales. We need to get workers documented and get them into and out of our country. This is not a tourism problem. Most illegal border crossers have two reasons to come here. They are jobs and illegal activities (Drugs, Firearms or Illegal Alien Smuggling). Many are trying to get to Yuma, AZ; El Centro, CA and Salinas, CA for agricultural jobs. Others go throughout the United States where employers hire undocumented workers because they can pay them less than US citizens. If crossing the border isn’t a felony for those already here then why penalize those who have made the mistake in the past. Either put them all behind bars and deport them, or give them documentation and let them work. Maximum visa stays of 2 and 3 years doesn’t work. What happens after two or three years? I guess we look for new employees.
You can make fancy passports, fancy drivers licenses, fancy border crossing cards and fancy machines to check people to see if they are felons or not, but if you can’t document guest workers so they can come here to work legally you haven’t solved the problem. Lettuce needs to be picked, meat needs to be cut, motel sheets need to be changed. Nurses, doctors, engineers as other professionals across the board are needed in our country. Our company has hired several engineers trained in Mexico.
I have a little passion for this issue because we live with them daily here in Yuma. I’m tired of outsiders telling us how to fix our issues and not listening to us. I’m not Hispanic, I don’t own land in Mexico, I have no business that is affected by your programs, but I do see illegal aliens walk past my house, through my neighborhood and riding trains. Many hurt themselves or others just trying to avoid capture by the Border Patrol.
I have a couple final thoughts for anyone associated with Homeland Security. Do your jobs, catch the hard core criminals and let working people go to work and cross the border freely with whatever fancy paperwork that is necessary. It shouldn’t take more than a few days to document if someone should be able to work in this country or not. And it for sure shouldn’t take 30 days for an American citizen to get a passport. If you can read a newspaper from a satellite you should be able to solve this one.
Sincerely:
Wm. Douglas Hipp, P.E.
I agree with Mr. Hipp that there is an illegal immigrant employment problem in the U.S., but would like to point out that a guest worker program has been in existence for the majority of people he points out for over 20 years. This visa classification, known as H2-A, is intended for temporary workers to engage in seasonal agricultural employment. It is the responsibility of employers to petition for employees they cannot find in the United States and is in essence where the problem of illegal immigration lies. Employers.
One cannot blame an individual for wanting to better themselves and provide for their family. The situation many illegals face at home is an economy that is unable to support or employ them and their families. Over the years some employers have become hesitant or simply refuse to complete the paperwork or pay the fees involved with the visa program claiming it would increase their operating costs that would have to be passed on to consumers. In addition, employers in various sectors employing general laborers realized that enforcement efforts were virtually non-existant. So the risk of hiring people, illegal or not, who are willing to work for lower wages has been very low. There is no collective bargaining or additional benefits involved; it’s an employers dream.
Once word gets home that a child, sibling, friend or spouse has found employment and makes what is locally a fantastic wage working in the U.S., these employers become destinations for others who are looking for the same better opportunity as those who were hired before. So it has swelled to the enormity of what exists today. The bottom line remains the same though: If employers would follow and file under existing programs, there would be less of an illegal immigrant problem. (On a seasonal agricultural note, I live in northern NY where we have a large number of apple orchards. Every year the orchards hire hundreds of seasonal workers from Jamaica who come to harvest apples. I have lived in this area for 30 years and have yet to see any illegal Jamaicans.)
Companies all over the United States hire foreign workers in specialty occupations and management positions every day. This raises concern in the U.S. by unions and other stakeholder groups who feel threatened (for obvious reasons) by this influx. The fact is that we live in a global economy and outsourcing could mean you pay your phone bill through New Delhi.
There have been previous efforts made during the Reagan administration to allow many aliens who were living and working illegally in the United States to adjust their status to permanent residence. Obviously that only solved a situtation that existed, yet it created a whole new situation that we now deal with today. I believe that is why there is such a strong disagreement by the American public with the “pathway to citizenship” theory. If you give legal status to persons who have entered illegally, you encourage others to follow suit. Eventually the government will give in to “solve” the problem.
Now, interior enforcement efforts are being fought by employers and special interest groups. Illegal immigrants live in fear that they will be deported and take refuge in churches. Cable news has accepted the special interest tact and softened “illegal” with “undocumented”. This has become a major part of the presidential race and will certainly be a main platform item to enable a candidate to win the election.
In my view, the only way to solve an illegal immigration problem is the improvement of economies in those countries that cannot support their own citizens.
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The BTA reserves the right to post comments it feels are appropriate to creating a dialog around border issues. We are interested in hearing from all points of view and encourage those with unique, constructive perspectives to contribute their view points to help shape the future of our borders. BTA is a tri-national organization and will not accept posts that contain derogatory comments made towards citizens, groups, or organizations of any kind.