The federal government is going ahead with plans to require a passport to cross between the United States and Canada, a move many still argue will have a tremendous negative impact on border traffic and the economies in areas like Western New York.
The plan came under intense criticism when it was announced last April. Even President Bush said he wasn't sure passports would do more good than harm.
Shortly after, the Bush administration said the proposal would be scrapped, but this September, the Department of Homeland Security announced the plan is still alive.
Under a now-revised timeline, government officials have moved back the scheduled requirements and say they never meant to hurt border economies by making the passport the only option for North American travel.
"That is not the intent," said Department of Homeland Security spokesman Jarrod Agen. "Our goal is to come up with alternative documents we can use."
Agen pointed out that it is not within his department's power to cancel the passport plan, which was originally called for in the 9/11 Commission's report and subsequently made into law in a December 2004 terrorism prevention act.
Everyone involved is under the gun, Agen said, because the law's deadline for tougher border documentation is Jan. 1, 2008, which leaves little bureaucratic time to work with the State Department and local governments to develop alternatives.
Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, said it is a step in the right direction that the revised plan is putting a greater emphasis on registered travel programs like NEXUS, and even the idea of a new Border Crossing Card would be viable, but making the passport the only option would be a serious blow to cities like Buffalo.
"It is confirmed that not only will there be an impact after the fact, but there's already an impact," Higgins said.
Opponents of the plan say although there needs to be better border security, the casual traveler - whether it's a Canadian going to a Bills game or someone from Pittsburgh going to Niagara Falls - will be far less inclined to come to the Buffalo-Niagara area if they need to wait six weeks for a $97 passport.
"This will be another administrative impediment which will further complicate the problem," Higgins said.
He added that the passport might still be an option for the southern border with Mexico, or for travel from the Caribbean, but "they are clearly not a justifiable means of identification at the northern border."
"The 9/11 Commission made this recommendation based on extreme circumstances," Higgins said.
Higgins' suggestion is that the government should forget about passports and instead work to make driver's licenses a means of confirming identity and citizenship.
"The objective of increasing border security and promoting an efficient flow of commerce between southern Ontario and Western New York can be achieved thru use of existing technology," he said.
"Why create another form of identification?" he added.
Agen said the goal is not about the passport itself, but for border security, so every option, including driver's licenses, are being considered.
"Under the Real ID Act there is some work being done to try and bring states driver's licenses to the point where they are as secure and show citizenship and identity," he said. "They're not at that point yet."
Right now, the best document for the law's requirements remains the passport, Agen said. Under the old timeline, a passport would have been required to travel from the Caribbean and Central and South America starting Jan. 1, 2006. That date has now been pushed to the end of 2006, but the 2008 deadline remains the same.
In the meantime, Higgins said he has been in discussions with a delegation of Western New York leaders and Homeland Security's Elaine Dezenski to make sure Buffalo's voice is heard in the debate.
Dezenski, who is the deputy assistant secretary for Policy and Planning, Border and Transportation Security Directorate, was in Buffalo two weeks ago to meet with the delegation and several border-city mayors.
"She heard very strong, compelling testimony and I think she was receptive," Higgins said.
Agen, who works in Dezenski's office, said the Department of Homeland Security is doing its best under the circumstances.
"Were dealing with what Congress has passed, so were trying to be flexible," he said. "But we have to work under the congressional law."
Higgins said the 9/11 Commission did some good work and made good recommendations, but it will be difficult to change course now that the federal gears are in motion.
"It's not frustrating," he said. "That's the challenge always."
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
