US, Canada and Mexico rollout border plans

World Peace Herald ^ | June 28, 2005 | Shaun Waterman

[hedgetrimmer]

The United States and its North American neighbors say they will set up a trusted traveler scheme for the whole continent by 2008, and will this year develop a plan to respond together to major terror attacks and other incidents.

Trusted traveler programs enable people who provide biometric personal data -- like fingerprints or iris scans -- pay a fee and submit to background checks to use special travel lanes at border crossings.

The idea is to speed processing for those travelers not thought security risks, and whose identity can be verified biometrically.

A Department of Homeland Security statement Monday said that air and sea ports would also be included.

The program, first unveiled last week at a House panel by homeland security official Elaine Dezenski, would incorporate both NEXUS and SENTRI -- the two trusted traveler programs currently run at the U.S. border.

DHS spokesman Russ Knocke told United Press International that details of the scheme -- including whether it would employ biometrics -- have yet to be finalized, but added that biometrics was "the direction everything's moving in, identity-wise."

Answering reporters' questions about the scheme in Ottawa Monday, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said "the way forward ultimately, not just with respect to North America, but with respect to the world, is biometrics."

The program is part of a hugely ambitious initiative launched by President Bush, Mexican President Vincente Fox and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin on March 23 this year, following their summit at the president's Crawford, Texas ranch.

Ultimately, the Security and Prosperity Partnership for North America, as it is called, aims to standardize border admissions procedures -- watchlist checks, visa processing and document standards -- to the point where "all travelers arriving in North America will experience a comparable level of screening," according to a homeland security fact sheet.

The program was announced Monday following a meeting in Ottawa, Canada, between Chertoff and his opposite numbers -- Mexican Interior Secretary Carlos Abascal and Canadian Deputy Prime Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Anne McLellan.

The three were joined by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, Canadian Minister of Industry David Emerson and Mexican Secretary of the Economy Fernando Canales.

The meeting, the first in a series of planned follow-ons to the March summit, also agreed that the three nations would work towards "compatible biometric border and immigration systems," announced the elimination of a series of regulatory barriers and other impediments to cross-border commerce, and committed to a comprehensive plan for responding together to major terror attacks and other incidents.

Within 12 months, the fact sheet says, the three nations will have established "protocols for incident management that impact border operations (and for) maritime incidents, cross-border public health emergencies and cross-border law enforcement response."

Co-operation on incident response will also include "interoperable communications systems" and joint preparedness exercises, including one ahead of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

The United States and Mexico also agreed to form joint intelligence-sharing task forces along their border "to target criminal gang and trafficking organizations."

The three countries also committed to work towards "compatible criteria for the posting of lookouts of suspected terrorists and criminals" and "real time information sharing on high risk individuals and cargos."

This last element of the plans may prove controversial in Canada, where public opinion seems concerned that a closer security relationship with the United States might jeopardize Canada's traditionally welcoming attitude toward asylum seekers or require an unnerving degree of information sharing.

The case of Maher Arar has dramatized Canadian concerns about counter-terror cooperation. Arar is a Syrian-born Canadian citizen who was shipped to Syria -- where he was tortured -- by U.S. authorities after Canadian intelligence identified him to them as a suspected associate of a suspected terrorist.

"The real time sharing of information with U.S. security agencies about a foreigner visiting Vancouver with no intention of entering the United States seems certain to cause a stir," opined the Toronto Globe and Mail earlier this year, adding that just such transparency would be necessary to the most ambitious visions of a common U.S.-Canadian security frontier.

In Mexico, attention is fixed on different questions about the partnership -- which Mexican officials refer to as the Security, Prosperity and Quality of Life Partnership.

"Why has the initiative not included funding provisions for reducing the economic gap between Mexico and the United States and Canada?" asked a Mexican reporter of Chertoff and Gutierrez.

[lawdog]

Constitution?

"We don't need no stinkin' Constitutions!"

Yeah, those John Birchers are a bunch of right wing whack jobs... one world government..never gonna happen ....oops!

[TLI]

You have your orders, you know what to do. Bend over and take it.

The only thing I'm gonna be bending over is a field-expedient bench rest.

[Mad Mammoth]

The Mexican President's name is Vicente Fox. That's V-I-C-E-N-T-E. One "n", not two.

His freakin' name ought to be Pancho Villa, because his fellow bandits, err 'countrymen' are robbing US (as in U.S.) blind, not to mention violating our borders with impunity, thanks to a spineless federal government that is gung-ho to put a biometric microscope over the lives of law-abiding Americans, but doesn't want to offend all of the illegals that cross into our Nation en masse.

There is NOTHING good about this.

[harpo11]

Bump!

[B4Ranch]

"It is nothing less that full integration with Mexico and Canada, with a new set of rules developed by unelected to impose on the American people."

"Does the United State Constitution represent one of those tyrannical "small differences" that must be eliminated?"

As long as the "True Freepers", or so they call themselves, continue to ignore these threads, you can bet the United States Constitution is just going to be handwipe material. These are the people who will fight for anything but the truth. There is much more interest from the "True Freepers" in this type of trash than what's is going to affect their own kids and grandchildren.

How Jessica Simpson got into those daisy dukes. (REALLY HOT CHICK ALERT!!!)

Zsa Zsa sues daughter for $2.6m

DUmmie FUnnies 06-28-05 ("Fight dirty, go negative early and often")

If you want to make people angry, lie to them. If you want to make them absolutely livid, then tell 'em the truth.

[hedgetrimmer]

FYI

[Nowhere Man]

Someone somewhere is smoking crack! The US should be erecting a 15 ft electric fence around its perimeter - not expanding into these vagabond countries. Crazy!

I'd toss in the Berlin Wall and some East German guards to teach our border patrol a few things.

[hedgetrimmer]

President Receives 90-Day Report on the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America

Today, the President received the initial report, and work agenda, of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) from Secretaries Rice, Gutierrez and Chertoff.

The SPP was launched on March 23, 2005, at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, by President Bush, Mexican President Fox, and Canadian Prime Minister Martin. The goal of the SPP is to develop a common security strategy and promote economic growth, competitiveness, and the quality of life of the citizens of our three great nations.

The three Leaders asked their appropriate ministers to consult with stakeholders, identify priorities, and report back within 90 days. Responding to this request, these ministers submitted a trilateral report setting forth specific and measurable goals, along with action plans for implementation.

President Bush commends Secretaries Rice, Gutierrez and Chertoff, and their Mexican and Canadian counterparts, for their hard work over the past few months. Their report represents an important first step in achieving the goals of the SPP. The President looks forward to the continuing work of the Partnership as our three countries begin to implement the recommendations of the report and continue discussions on other areas of cooperation.

For more information on the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America visit, www.spp.gov.

Stakeholders-- notice they have not consulted the CITIZENS in any way?

[hedgetrimmer]

Making North America the Best Place to Live by:

• Working together for clean air, clean water and protecting people and our environment.

• Providing access to a safe and reliable food supply.

• Coordinating on approaches to address common public health issues and concerns to ensure a healthier North America.

**

Can America be a better place without our sovereignty and our Bill of Rights?

This is from the spp.gov website.

[hedgetrimmer]

Still to come is a plan to make it easier for professionals in any of the three countries seeking temporary work permits in any of the others.

http://www.crosswalk.com/news/1337561.html

[hedgetrimmer]

Last January, Mexico's Secretariat of Governance and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security published a detailed report on all the progress made in the implementation of the U.S.-Mexico Border Partnership and its action plan.

With respect to the Border Partnership in the upcoming months, we will be giving special attention to the opening of new lanes for the expedited flow of people and vehicles.

Six new SENTRI lanes will be opened in Tijuana San Ysidro, Juarez City and El Paso, Mexicali and Calexico, Nuevo Laredo and Laredo, Nogales Nogales, and Matamoros Brownsville.

Also, eight FAST lanes will be functioning in Nogales Nogales, Piedras Negras, Eagle Pass, Juarez City Santa Teresa, Acuña City and Del Rio, Camargo Rio Grande City, Tecate Tecate, Agua Prieta-Douglas, and San Luis Rio Colorado and San Luis.


U.S. Homeland Security Secretary, Mexican Counterpart Meet
Michael Chertoff, Santiago Creel outline plans for future cooperation
http://usinfo.state.gov/gi/Archive/2005/Jun/01-476882.html?chanlid=globalissues

[hedgetrimmer]

Our government is meeting with Mexico. Here is what the Mexican Interior Minister says we should do> Notice that he does not favor US citizens acting on their own behalf when it comes to "migration":
***

Another central issue of discussion during our talks was the migration relations between our two countries. In this regard, the government of Mexico has insisted in the need to achieve a comprehensive reordering of the situation faced by Mexican migrants who do not have the necessary documents to work in the United States.

We have expressed our concern about the implementation of the REAL ID Act, particularly because it reduces the possibility of issuing driver's licenses, and the construction of a new wall in the San Diego area.

We underline our concern about the fact that these decisions could generate the conditions for extreme positions to be taken regarding migration, and therefore, will foment more uncertainties in the positions that relevant social and political actors will adopt on the issue.

We fully agreed in the fact that the enforcement of migration laws is exclusively a governmental responsibility, and not that of citizens. We have made commitments to safeguard the human rights of Mexican immigrants, regardless of their immigration status.

We also talked about the current state of the debate on migration in U.S. Congress. We expressed our aspiration to have certainty about the course of the debate and what will be its scope.

In the meantime, we have asked our collaborators to analyze and propose whatever measures we can legally adopt in order to move ahead with the objective of establishing a migration relationship between Mexico and the United States that is more in tune with our vicinity and history.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary, Mexican Counterpart Meet
Michael Chertoff, Santiago Creel outline plans for future cooperation

http://usinfo.state.gov/gi/Archive/2005/Jun/01-476882.html?chanlid=globalissues

[TheCrusader]

"Damn, I really want to like President Bush but until he puts this globalization in the dung heap where it belongs I just can't see him as a great president."

The President's border strategist must be the guy who designed the model for "Doctors Without Borders".

It really is puzzling to think we fight terror so valiantly overseas, but throw our own borders wide open for undesirables, illegals and (most likely) terrorists. The President said himself tonight that the enemy is extremely hateful, wears no uniform, and will stop at nothing to do harm to us. With that very fitting description, wouldn't you think he'd figure out that they're probably infiltrating our country through Mexico right now, as he speaks?

[ZULU]

Is our government insane?

Is Chertoff doing this on his own?

Or is the fine hand of Mr. Gonzales Bush's Supreme Court wannabe involved in this directly???

[hedgetrimmer]

Or is the fine hand of Mr. Gonzales Bush's Supreme Court wannabe involved in this directly

I am sure if the constitutionality of this merger is ever put before the Supreme Court, they will want it peopled with justices who will look to international law to resolve the dispute, just as they have done with the recent death penalty case for minors.

So he could very well be one of the globalist's guaratees if the question ever goes to the Supreme Court.

[ZULU]

If Bush is dumb enough to put Gonzalez up for the Supreme Court, hew will have both Repubs and Dems opposing him.

On Domestic Defence and bordre protection, Bush is worse than useless. Like his college scores,he's only a few points ahead of Kerry there - and that doesn't say much.

[jeremiah]

What is the point of pandering to hispanics? Unless we control our borders we don't have a country. Citizens of this country must take off the blinders, we are approaching a point similar to Lexington-Concord. I believe we will let our liberty slip away, it is too uncomfortable to upset the status quo. Yes, I am wearing a three cornered tin foil hat.

[DoughtyOne]

Bend over citizens. Visitors coming. 3 million per year wasn't enough.

[Nowhere Man]

Stakeholders-- notice they have not consulted the CITIZENS in any way?

Correct. I was listening to Rick Roberts subbing for Savage yesterday and he was making the same points. He compared it to some real estate agent coming in your house and putting it up for sale without your permission. Hmmm, come to think of it, that would be OK according to the SCOTUS. It seems like President Bush is kowtowing to Vincente Fox, I wonder if Fox has a hold on him. Maybe Fox has a pic of President Bush and Richard Simmons in bed together, I don't know (/sarcasm> for the humor impaired). Personally, I'm beginning to wonder about some here, free traders, to where I wouldn't want them watching my back or the country's, they can be worse than some liberals. B-P

[monkeywrench]

"cross-border public health emergencies and cross-border law enforcement response.""

This was a problem for europe. Nobody wanted foreigners being able to make arrests on their soil.