To get back to the U.S., pack a passport

Miami Herald ^ | BY ALFONSO CHARDY AND INA PAIVA CORDLE

[bird4four4]

Living close to the border we visit Niagra quite often. Sometime just for an afternoon. Now with a family of 6 this will cost me $600.00 Times how many families. Don't tell me the politicians don't see big money involved in this. That's all they ever see.

[Mr. Jeeves]

To get back to the U.S., pack a passport

Well, it gets travelers used to the US Internal Passports that are coming soon enough. ;)

[shellshocked]

"The era of easy travel for U.S. citizens returning from Latin America and the Caribbean is over. Within months they will have to present passports -- instead of driver's licenses or birth certificates -- if they want to clear passport control. "


No, they don't. They simply can walk across the southern border like everyone else.

[whd23]

And that 60% doesn't necessarily include the illegals that came from there without a passport.. ;^)

I can't keep up! How did we get from 20% to 60%? :P

I agree that it's frustrating to abide by the rules of entry when thousands of people a year do not, but I don't think that is reason enough not to comply with the passport requirement. Heck, I use my passport as a 2nd means of identification for non-travel purposes (closing the loan on my house, applying for a security clearance, etc.).

[Always Right]

You're missing the point. It's not about the money. It's about the freedom. Or loss of it.

Considering this is actually an area where the feds have the Constitutional authority to defend our borders, I can't see making a huge deal about it.

[steve-b]

They really should require you to show a passport at the polls... but then the politicians couldn't charge you money to get one.

[tfecw]

"I'm not for a "papers please" sort of society, but to show a passport upon entering a country does not seem like a burden"

I agree. It's not like you are walking down the street and you need to show a cop your papers. We have to show id when writing checks, using credit cards (some places), and for us youngens when we buy beer, smokes, airplane glue from walmart, Cd's with explicit lyrics, go to a rated R movie, and Rated M video games. I hardly think people showing a passport at the borders to be inconvenient.

[AntiGuv]

It's not even remotely complicated. Only about 20% of Americans have passports; about 60% of Americans have been to either Canada or Mexico.

[Mad Mammoth]

You perpetual malcontents are something else.
You give a face to the saying, "damned if you do, damned if you don't".

Pointing out the fallacy of a hypocritical government policy does not make one a 'malcontent'.

The fact is, it is absurd for the U.S. Government to require American citizens returning from Canada, Mexico, or other points in this hemisphere to show a passport when our illustrious government has been unable to secure our borders.

Countless illegals cross into the U.S. from Mexico each and every day, and when citizens like the Minutemen stand up to say 'this far and no further', they are criticized as 'irrational vigilantes' by who?

By our Commander In Chief of all people, the man who took an Oath to defend America from all enemies 'foreign and domestic'!

Allowing illegals to enter America while pompously declaring that our own LEGAL citizens "must present their papers" in order to be REadmitted to the U.S. is absolute lunacy.

How long will it be, before EVERY U.S. citizen MUST have a passport in order to travel within our own borders, gain employment, obtain medical services, make financial transactions, etc.?!?

I can see the sign now, "Welcome to the U.S.(S.R.)".

[newgeezer]

Because it's pretty dumb.

In that case, it fails the "if it's worth implementing" test.

[stuartcr]

$10 at AAA, $5 for members

[stuartcr]

I just got mine renewed in Feb because it had filled up...I sent a check for $55, went on-line and downloaded the paperwork. I had to buy pictures, also...$5 at AAA

[stuartcr]

See my #52

[stuartcr]

See my #52

[Dane]

Pointing out the fallacy of a hypocritical government policy does not make one a 'malcontent'.

The fact is, it is absurd for the U.S. Government to require American citizens returning from Canada, Mexico, or other points in this hemisphere to show a passport when our illustrious government has been unable to secure our borders.

Countless illegals cross into the U.S. from Mexico each and every day, and when citizens like the Minutemen stand up to say 'this far and no further', they are criticized as 'irrational vigilantes' by who?

Ah yes, the arguement that "some are more equal than others".

[armymarinemom]

We are going to hear people complain about this up here. A lot of folks from Canada work here and a lot of people in Maine take day trips to the parks on weekends. It does irritate me a bit that we will have to have a passport to visit the only International Park. listed on the National Park Service website.

[stuartcr]

Age and FR

[Dane]

We are going to hear people complain about this up here. A lot of folks from Canada work here and a lot of people in Maine take day trips to the parks on weekends. It does irritate me a bit that we will have to have a passport to visit the only International Park. listed on the National Park Service website

Complain to the minutemen, they were the catalyst for this.

[KC_for_Freedom]

Canada is understandably upset about it. Tourism will suffer. I know I'll be satisfied to see Niagara Falls from our side, when I finally get around to seeing it.

Actually Canadians I've met are not upset. They already need a passport to return to Canada. Now they will have to show it coming in too.

[newgeezer]

Actually Canadians I've met are not upset.

If I had to guess, I'd say they're not the ones depending on tourists coming in from the U.S.