While taking aim at terrorism, let’s not shoot our economy in the foot.
A federal proposal to require a passport of all travelers entering the United States from other Western Hemisphere nations – including Canada – could do more harm than good, particularly to tourism-dependent states like Washington.
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative seeks to strengthen border security. Who would quibble with that? Gov. Christine Gregoire, for one. She is preparing a letter to the Homeland Security Department, to be co-signed by British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell, raising concerns that the requirement could put a significant dent in economic activity on both sides of the friendly border. Similar concerns are being raised all the way to the Atlantic coast.
Gregoire’s and Campbell’s voices on this issue are welcome. Many Americans and Canadians don’t have passports, and the hassle and cost ($97 for a U.S. passport) of getting one is all but certain to deter millions of impulsive travelers each year. That’s something the more than 8,000 tourism workers in Snohomish County don’t want to face.
This may be a solution in search of a problem. Where’s the evidence that requiring passports will improve safety? All 19 of the Sept. 11 hijackers, after all, had passports. Less stringent ways of determining citizenship at the border should be explored, methods that won’t undercut trade and jobs here or in Canada.
A certified copy of a birth certificate, combined with a valid picture ID like a driver’s license, should easily suffice. For naturalized citizens, a certificate of citizenship could substitute for a birth certificate. Tracking down a certified copy of your birth certificate can be a bit of a hassle itself, but it doesn’t carry the big price tag of a passport. At minimum, Homeland Security officials should explore ways to lessen any economic harm by offering a citizenship document that’s less expensive and easier to obtain than a passport.
Automobile traffic has passed through the U.S.-Canada border with relative cheer and efficiency for decades, encouraging day trips and overnight stays. Tourism infrastructure has grown accordingly, and shouldn’t be undermined by requirements that might only provide a false sense of security.
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