Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative

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Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative

• May 12, 2006

Lisa Katz Detroit Regional Chamber Lkatz_at_detroitch
amber.com 313-596-0460

• Ken Oplinger
• Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber
• of Commerce Industry
• ken_at_bellingham.com
• 360-393-9171

Luke Rich Buffalo Niagara Partnership Richresult
s_at_adelphia.net 716-909-9203
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What is BESTT?

• Three organizations agree to work on WHTI (7/05)
• Collaboration on federal rules response (9/05)
• First WHTI hearing (10/05)
• First D.C. Fly In (11/05)
• BESTT officially named (12/05)
• D.C. Fly-in with 200 lawmaker contacts (2/06)
• Almost bi-weekly presence in D.C. ever since
• 50 members and growing

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Presentation Overview

• U.S./Canada Border Overview (U.S. Perspective)
• WHTI Overview
• Alternatives Discussion
• Proposals for action

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U.S./Canada Border Overview
Facts

• Longest common border that is not militarized or
  actively patrolled
• 4,000 miles contiguous U.S.5,500 altogether
  (U.S./Mexico border is 2,000 miles)
• 11 states and 8 provinces
• 51 million Americans and over 30 million
  Canadians
• 90 of Canadians live within 100 miles

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U.S./Canada Border Overview
Economy

• Trade
• 1.2 billion U.S./Canada trade/daily
• Supports 5.2 million jobs
• Travel/Tourism
• 2004 15 million visitors U.S. to Canada
• 2004 14 million visitors Canada to U.S.
• 2005 53 million Canadian visits to U.S.
• 2004 Canadians spent 10.3 billion in U.S. (7.9
  billion for dining, gifts, hotels, etc.)

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U.S./Canada Border Overview
Economy
Top Destinations
Top Economic Value (excl. NY)
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U.S./Canada Border Overview
Economy

• Three Busiest U.S./Canada Border Crossings

• Total Value of Trade
• Detroit/Port Huron (450 million per day, 1
  nationally)
• Buffalo (160 million per day, 2 nationally)
• Bellingham/Cascade (40 million per day)

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U.S./Canada Border Overview
Special Features of the Northern Border

• Illegal immigration
• Canadas illegal alien population represents 0.4
  of Mexicos (120k versus 2.7 million)
• Canadas illegal immigration growth rate is 5 of
  Mexicos
• Southern border regulate northern border
  stimulate
• Canadians enter U.S. to spend money (shopping)
  and cross more frequently than Americans

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U.S./Canada Border Overview
Special Features of the Northern Border

• Northern border (5,500 miles) cannot be
  completely secured.
• 140 customs stations (many remote)
• Mountains, prairie, Great Lakes
• Security ratio for northern border vs. south is
  17
• Current WHTI implementation will inconvenience
  low risk and not deter high risk.

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U.S./Canada Border Overview
Whats At Stake

• If one in 12 Canadians does not acquire a
  passport and stops traveling into the US, the US
  economy could lose 532 million.
• A 15 drop in air travel by Canadians would
  amount to an additional loss of 583 million to
  the US economy. The hardest hit states would be
  Florida and California.

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WHTI Background
New Law

• Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act
  (sec. 7209) signed December 2004
• All travel into U.S. (includes U.S. citizens)
• Requires passport or other document, or
  combination of documents
• Implementation date January 1, 2008

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WHTI Background
Implementation Plans

• Law gives DHS discretion to determine
  alternatives
• Expect the following will meet requirements
• Passports
• Pre-clearance programs (e.g., NEXUS, SENTRI, and
  FAST)
• New border ID card PASS (People Access Security
  Service)

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WHTI Background
Plan Implications

• While there is need for greater security, we must
  balance national and economic security.
• Proposed alternatives tip the balance too far
  against economic security and could prove
  catastrophic.

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WHTI Background
Proposal Assessment

• Passports
• Only 20 of Americans and 40 of Canadians have a
  passport (30 of Congress prior to entering
  office)
• Costs 97/person in U.S.
• 6-8 weeks to process
• Pre-clearance programs
• Harder to get than passport (in-person
  interviews, finger prints)
• 60 for NEXUS 6-8 weeks to process
• No guaranteed access to lanes
• Not integrated/interchangeable at different ports
• Low enrollment (80,000 nationwide in NEXUS)

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WHTI Background
Proposal Assessment PASS Card

• Similar documentation and wait times as passport
• Usable only at land borders
• Only 9 of U.S. and 24 of Canadian non-passport
  holders are very likely to buy such limited card
  
• Cheaper and easier to carry than passport, but
  not cheap (55)
• 50 of Americans and 30 of Canadians want free
  card
• Fewer than 20 of Americans and 27 of Canadians
  would buy for whole family

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WHTI Background
Proposal Assessment PASS Card

• Low awareness 87 of Americans and 82 of
  Canadians say they are not familiar with change
  in requirements (worse among non-passport
  holders).
• DHS/DOS track record poor on new ID programs
• NEXUS enrollment, roll out and cross-functionality
  is poor
• SMART Card for fed employees implemented w/o tech
  to read
• TWIC for 850k maritime workers faces delays, cost
  overruns and technology concerns (2 prototype
  evaluations, but none planned for PASS)
• E-passport extended for one year by Congress
  (technology problems pilot included 1,800
  individuals)

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WHTI Background
Proposal Assessment PASS Card

• Questions about security
• RFID, in its simplest form is insecure, allows
  privacy intrusion and permits tracking of
  individuals. RFID should be directed to
  appropriate low-security applications such as
  tracking pallets or products. It should not be
  used for tracking or identifying people.
• We must not forget that a potential terrorist
  who wanted to destroy the L.A. airport was
  apprehended because an alert border agent in Port
  Angeles, Washington noticed that the suspect, who
  had a passport, was acting strangely.

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WHTI Background
Foundations For Concern

• Cross-border trips down 20-30 since 9/11 (wait
  times, hassle, uncertaintythreatens spontaneous
  travel)
• Despite that, rising trade volumes increased
  border processing times 300 processing time
  increase since 9/11 (JIT 1.4 million cost for 1
  hr delay, 23k/minute)
• WHTI implementation disaster in the works

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Policy Alternatives
Recommendations

• Need a truly low-cost option and use of existing
  documentation
• REAL-ID and WHTI
• Signed May 2005 state drivers license or ID
  card cannot be used for any federal purpose
  unless it meets federal requirements by 5/2008
• Federally regulated commercial aircraft, nuclear
  power plants, federally regulated critical
  infrastructure

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Policy Alternatives
Recommendations
REAL-ID Minimum Standards

• Specified data/security features
• Standardized docs to establish ID
• Verification of doc authenticity
• Photo ID doc or non-photo with full legal name
  birth date

• Doc showing birth date
• Proof of SSN or ineligibility for SSN
• Doc showing name and residence address
• Valid doc evidence of U.S. citizenship or legal
  U.S. presence

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Policy Alternatives
Recommendations

• States could provide option of indicating
  citizenship on drivers license at renewal and
  application (border crossing for citizens only).
  
• Could work with fedsMOUs, credentialing, etc. to
  incorporate WHTI, bio indicators, etc.
• NY, MI, WA 90 of problem solved. Let northern
  border pursue.
• State-based solutions could even prove MORE
  secure than PASS.
• Michigan in particular is interested in
  participating in a pilot.

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Policy Alternatives
Potential Challenges

• Too many birth certificates versions (possible
  solutions coming about under REAL-ID)
• State vs. federal
• Data sharing (precedent exists could be done
  voluntarily)
• Jurisdiction over adjudication (law says
  denotation of citizenship)
• Commercial drivers licenses hazardous materials
  drivers passport acceptance agents and data
  verifiers
• Timelines (January 2008 vs. May 2008)
• Required legal amendments
• REAL-ID implementation (cost, time, etc.)

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Policy Alternatives
Recommendations

• Benefits of REAL-ID alternative
• Streamlined implementation of WHTI
• Alleviates DoS workload increase
• Machine/RFID-readable REAL-ID card could speed
  border crossings and airline travel
• Eliminates redundant cost of government due to
  REAL-ID and new documentation implementation
• Special cases elderly and children 16 and under
  (state IDs)

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Policy Alternatives
Whos Listening

• Senator Stevens/Leahy/Stabenow et al Immigration
  amendment extends WHTI implementation to June
  2009.

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Policy Alternatives
Whos Listening

• Senator Coleman/Collins/Dorgan Immigration
  Amendment
• Extends WHTI implementation to June 2009
• Requires triggers before implementation can occur
• Successful PASS Card pilot
• 90 of enrollees must have card in certain time
  frame (avg 4 wks)
• Demonstrated staff training
• Satisfactory public awareness
• Public awareness campaign with demonstrated
  awareness measures (including effort to inform
  public that law is not currently in place)

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Policy Alternatives
Whos Listening

• Senator Coleman/Collins/Dorgan Immigration
  Amendment
• Calls for better expansion and incorporation of
  frequent traveler programs
• Private sector task force
• Requires collaboration with Western Hemisphere
  partners on encouraging citizens to get proper
  docs
• Applicability of PASS card at land and sea
  borders land treatment of ferries 20 cost cap
  free for children

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Policy Alternatives
Whos Listening

• Senator Coleman/Collins/Dorgan Immigration
  Amendment
• Process for allowing U.S. citizens w/o proper
  docs to leave and return to U.S. (72 hrs)
• Feasibility study on how to integrate WHTI and
  REAL-ID
• Pilot project with a willing state that is
  REAL-ID compliant
• Reports to Congress and approps authorizaton

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Policy Alternatives
Whos Listening

• Senator Coleman/Collins/Dorgan Immigration
  Amendment
• Calls for better expansion and incorporation of
  frequent traveler programs
• Private sector task force
• Requires collaboration with Western Hemisphere
  partners on encouraging citizens to get proper
  docs
• Applicability of PASS card at land and sea
  borders land treatment of ferries 20 cost cap
  free for children

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Policy Alternatives
Improving Odds Of Success

• Immigration bill is a shotbut not our only shot
• Must grow our coalition and efforts
• Beyond the border states/provinces
• Ongoing D.C. visits
• Media campaigns
• Issue ads (print)
• More powerful allies (weve got some good ones!)
• Canadians need to make key decisions
• Above all, DONT GIVE UP!!!

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More Information
www.besttcoalition.com