Washington Wire: Border Crossings Get Tougher For U.S. Citizens

Americans who cross into Mexico and Canada by land on a regular basis are encountering new rules requiring them to prove citizenship upon return—or risk being denied entry into their homeland. The change, effective Jan. 31, requires production of a photo ID, such as a driver's license, at the border—a departure from past practice in which an oral declaration would suffice, and a precursor to more stringent rules requiring a passport for transnational travel. "For the safety of the American people, the United States cannot have an honor system at the border," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said. "Requiring secure and reliable documentation at our borders will drastically reduce security vulnerabilities posed by permitting entry based on oral declarations alone." The rules, which apply to U.S. and Canadian citizens older than 18 , are a departure from long-held practice, but the government said the security implications are huge. Between October and December 2007, it said, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers reported 1,517 cases of fraudulent claims of U.S. citizenship. Travelers who cannot produce a valid document may face delays, the border agency said. A list of qualifying documents can be found at CBP's Web site. U.S. travelers became eligible to begin applying for a new "trusted traveler" passport card on Feb. 1 in anticipation of the narrower border-crossing document. Homeland Security originally was scheduled to implement passport requirements this summer, but Congress postponed the rules by a year.

ATA Names Northwest's Steenland As Chairman
The Air Transport Association, the Washington trade group for commercial airlines, named Northwest Airlines CEO Douglas Steenland as chairman of its board. He succeeds Gerard Arpey, president and CEO of American Airlines parent AMR Corp. Steenland, who will serve a two-year term, said he intends to work with ATA president and CEO James May to push Congress to overhaul the air traffic control system. "This is an industry that faces constant financial and operating pressures—from record oil prices to an outdated air traffic control system," Steenland said.

International Visitors To United States On The Rise
The Commerce Department said 4.1 million international visitors entered the United States and spent $11.1 billion in October 2007, the latest month for which data was available. That's 15 percent higher than October 2006 levels and caps the third straight month of double-digit increases. The main driver was Western Europe, which saw an 18 percent increase, the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries said. Arrivals from Canada and Mexico were up 18 percent and 13 percent, respectively, the agency said. OTTI in August predicted record numbers of international visitors, enticed in part by a weak U.S. dollar.

—Patty Donmoyer