White House delays border passport rules

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

White House delays border passport rules

By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer
Wed Jun 20, 9:16 PM ET

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration will delay for at
least six months a rule that Americans present passports
when crossing the U.S. border by land or sea, officials said
Wednesday. The announcement marks the second time in
a month that officials have scaled back security plans in
response to complaints.

Beginning in January, land and sea travelers returning from
Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be allowed
to present a birth certificate and driver's license in lieu
of a passport.

-snip-

The modification is expected to last at least until the
summer of 2008, when officials hope to require passports
or similar documentation at all land and sea crossings.

-snip-

Even as recently as last week, DHS officials had insisted
in the face of a public outcry that they were going forward
with the tougher regulations on land and sea crossings
starting in January.

-snip-


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070621/ap_on_go_pr_wh/passports

[Demit]

1. My favorite part of the article—

"At a Senate hearing Tuesday, Maura Harty, assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, took the blame for the passport mess, even as she offered a wide array of explanations. Part of the problem, she said, was that in 2005 Hurricane Katrina reduced the capabilities of the agency's New Orleans passport office. She also said the agency had not expected so many Americans to actually obey the new law."

[Jacobin]

2. This is more and more confusing

Traveling by land, you NEED a passport to go to Canada from now to January 2008, but then between January 2008 and June 2008 you DON'T need a passport, but then AFTER June 2008 you need one again?

:wtf: