Bismarck Tribune - North Dakota News - Dorgan wants to suspend border rule

Dorgan wants to suspend border rule

Jan 22, 2008 - 07:52:26 CST

FARGO (AP) - Sen. Byron Dorgan says he wants the Bush administration to suspend a new Canadian border crossing rule that takes effect in less than two weeks.

Starting Jan. 31, a driver's license and oral declaration of citizenship will not be enough for Americans and Canadians who are 19 or older to enter the United States through a land or sea port of entry. Those people will have to present proof of citizenship, usually in the form of a birth certificate. Passports will not be required until at least June 2009.

Dorgan, D-N.D., said Monday that the public has not been educated enough about the new rule and that it will have a significant effect on communities in North Dakota.

"I strongly support efforts to strengthen security at the border, but this plan is being done in a way that can only create more hassle for travelers and do nothing for security," he said. "Congress delayed the deadline for the passport requirement so they could have the time to get it right, not so they could throw up arbitrary barriers to cross-border travel."

More than 800,000 people enter the U.S. through land and sea ports each day. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said last week that the new rule is in the interest of preventing terrorism. He said critics of the border security effort need to "grow up."

Dorgan said that since border agents already have the authority to require travelers to show proof of citizenship if necessary, the new requirement does not result in any real security benefit.

Dorgan said the Bush administration also has not said how it will verify the authenticity of birth certificates, which he said come in nearly 8,000 varieties depending on which state, province or locality issued them.

The new rule also applies at the Mexican border, though non-Americans coming in through Mexico already need extra documentation.

News > State

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Comments

LJK wrote on Jan 29, 2008 4:26 PM:

" Get a passport- then we won't have to worry about authentic driver's licenses, birth certificates or other documents. The relationship between North Dakotans and Canadians is not the issue, neither is the issue of personal liberties. We all know what we're trying to prevent from happening. "

NoDak John wrote on Jan 25, 2008 8:24 AM:

" It would be a good thing if it did indeed help secure the borders, but I seriously doubt that it will. I am with Dorgan on this one. How is that those whom we desire to keep from crossing the border are not well checked because to do so would mean that we are “profiling a minority”.
I can only hope that they are a minority of those who desire to cross our borders. That’s a twist, but it works for me.
Since certain peoples and certain groups have vowed to stomp this nation into the mud, I consider it to be a reasonable matter to “double check” individuals from those nations or groups.
As to the upcoming events, anyone desiring to leave or enter this nation will have to have a passport. That is the way it is. Sure would be nice to go back to the days when we crossed over the Canadian border and had a few pleasant words or even a conversation with the border guards. How helpful they used to be because they recognized th fact that they were ambassadors for their country and besides, they were just plain good people with a brain intact. As for those who now think they are in the Gestapo, I only wish that they had experienced Adolf up close and personal, that MIGHT just kick their brain into gear. "

Gotta Start Somewhere wrote on Jan 22, 2008 10:05 PM:

" According to Dorgan, if the Bush administration won't explain to him (he seems to be the only one having a problem with it) exactly HOW "it will verify the authenticity of birth certificates" we should have open borders. Have I got that right, eh? (I'm all for building a wall if it'll keep those "Canadian clippers" out.) "

Rebecca wrote on Jan 22, 2008 5:25 PM:

" Personally, I don't see a problem. We all knew that we were going to need passports to go into Canada in the near future. So buy a passport and then it won't even be a problem. And to "open borders": good luck going to Germany or France from America without a passport. Have you ever heard of the European Union? When America, Mexico and Canada all band together like Europe, then we can move freely throughout each country. And BTW to "1984": What is more Orwellian than Europa (that is what the EU calls itself)?!?! Sounds alot like Eurasia to me...I could be wrong. America, Mexico and Canada could join to become Oceania and then we wouldn't need passports! Or documentation! Hooray for superstates! "

VOTE wrote on Jan 22, 2008 3:54 PM:

" Please vote this guy out of office. We need new. "

Rugby Reader wrote on Jan 22, 2008 3:45 PM:

" The right to keep my shoes on before I board an aircraft has been usurped by the Bush government. "

ndguy wrote on Jan 22, 2008 2:41 PM:

" Rugby Reader - I am not in favor of showing passports or birth certificates at the Canadian boarder any more than you apparently are but, what part of "we were attacked on 9/11/01" do you not understand. As to using this as a excuse for the administration "taking away more freedoms and liberties", please list one liberty that has been taken from you personally as a citizen of the U.S. I'm tired of left wing radicals diminishing the significance of 9/11 in their attempt to diminish those that secure our lives, liberties and possessions. "

Rugby Reader wrote on Jan 22, 2008 1:11 PM:

" Good one, bg. Way to invoke the mantra of the fear-mongers: "another 9/11". It seems that whenever folks fall for the government's claim of protecting us by taking away more freedoms and liberties, they have to repeat "another 9/11" over and over again. Those who fall for this are those who toe-the-line just like our government overseers want. Don't fall for it, bg. Don't be a sheep. Michael Chertoff and his Department of Homeland Security do not have your best interests in mind. They want you to be afraid so that you will be more easily enslaved to the corporate puppet masters controlling our government. "

bg` wrote on Jan 22, 2008 12:28 PM:

" Come on Byron, everyone knows that our current border laws are too soft. We have to make it mandatory for the border agents to verify identification of all crossers. At the present time they only require proper identification if they suspect something of a suspicious nature. Kind of like profiling. And you want that to continue? It seems like everyone wants border security but no one wants to be inconvenienced or pay the price What will it take.....another 9/11????? "

1984 Is Now! wrote on Jan 22, 2008 10:45 AM:

" To: Open Borders wrote on Jan 22, 2008 9:45 AM . . . . It is all about controlling the masses in the United States. The federal government wants to know where you are going, who you are talking to and what you are purchasing. This has subtlety been going on without your knowledge for many years. "

Rugby Reader wrote on Jan 22, 2008 10:29 AM:

" Good for Dorgan and good for us. This was one of the more asinine plans to come from Chertoff and his worthless Department of Homeland Security. "

Open Borders wrote on Jan 22, 2008 9:45 AM:

" Why can I travel without being stopped between Germany and France, which have fought three wars since 1870, and I can't go to Canada, with whom we used to be proud to share the longest unfortified border in the world? "

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