Cornyn Urges DHS To Expedite New Border Cards, Extend Laser Visa Visits
Cornyn Urges DHS To Expedite New Border Cards, Extend Laser Visa Visits
Feds should increase security, ease legal border crossing for U.S. citizens, Cornyn says
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), chairman of the Immigration, Border Security, and Citizenship subcommittee, urged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday to speed implementation of the recently announced border-crossing cards for U.S. citizens. In a letter to DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, Cornyn said, "increased security at our borders must be combined with policies that facilitate legal travel." Cornyn also reiterated his request for DHS to extend the laser visa period to six months for legal Mexican visitors, giving them full parity with Canadians.
Cornyn, the Border Texan of the Year for 2005, applauded DHS and the State Department for announcing in January a secure, less-expensive passport card for use by U.S. citizens in border communities, and also asked for an application-fee waiver for low-income Americans.
"I write to respectfully request that you move quickly to begin issuing the secure, less-expensive cards for U.S. citizens, while taking all appropriate steps to contain the cost of the new documents," Cornyn said in the letter. "I also request that you consider application-fee waivers for those with low incomes so that all Americans are able to obtain the new passport cards and travel internationally."
Sen. Cornyn held a field hearing in Laredo in late December to review the government's Western Hemisphere Travel Document Initiative and how the proposed passport rules, scheduled to go into effect this year, will impact trade and tourism.
Below is the text of the letter that Sen. Cornyn sent to Secretary Chertoff on Tuesday:
Dear Secretary Chertoff:
Thank you for your leadership in establishing the Joint Vision for Secure Borders and Open Doors and for your commitment to ensuring both our national security and a strong U.S. economy. I write to you about the recently announced passport card and about the length of time Mexican Border Crossing Card (BCC) travelers may visit the United States.
As you know, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that U.S. citizens and foreign nationals present a passport, or other secure document, when entering the United States beginning in 2008. However, millions of U.S. citizens who cross the land border each year do not have passports, and it could be prohibitively expensive for many to obtain them. The current cost of a passport is approximately $100.00. For a family of four, the cost to cross the border in 2008 could be close to $400.00.
I was, therefore, pleased to read your announcement on January 17, 2006, that the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State will produce a secure, less-expensive passport card for use by U.S. citizens in border communities. If U.S. citizens are unable to travel back and forth across the land border, the harm to the Texas economy could be significant. According to an estimate by the Perryman Group, the new requirements could cause the loss of $16.2 billion in gross product in the state of Texas.
Thus, I write today to respectfully request that you move quickly toward this objective, while taking all appropriate steps to contain the cost of the new documents. I also request that you consider application-fee waivers so that all Americans, including those at the lowest income levels, are able to obtain the new passport cards and travel internationally.
Additionally, Congress included in the Homeland Security Appropriations bill an additional $1.3 billion for immigration enforcement, and I know you have made border security a top priority. However, increased security at our borders must be combined with policies that facilitate legal travel. I therefore request that you revisit the current policy regarding Mexican BCC travelers. In 2004, the Department of Homeland Security issued a rule extending the admission period of Mexican nationals from 72 hours to 30 days, yet comparable Canadian visitors may be admitted for up to six months. The goal should be to treat all visitors the same. And, because BCC travelers must undergo background checks before they are issued their secure travel documents, this policy change would not conflict with our shared goal of improving border security.
Again, I commend you on the announcement of your Joint Vision for Secure Borders and Open Doors initiative, and I look forward to working with you on both the new travel documents as well as parity in length of stay for our nation's visitors.
Sincerely,
JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator
http://cornyn.senate.gov/index.asp?f=record&lid=1&yid=1&rid=237104&pg=1