Homeland Security chief details new passport rules

Homeland Security chief details new passport rules
By Beverley Lumpkin
Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune and The Associated Press
Published November 23, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Virtually all air travelers entering the United States, including U.S. citizens, will need to show passports as of Jan. 23, the Homeland Security Department announced Wednesday.

Until now, U.S. citizens, travelers from Canada and Bermuda, and some travelers from Mexico who have special border-crossing cards for frequent visitors were allowed to show other proofs of identification, such as driver's licenses or birth certificates.

"The ability to misuse travel documents to enter this country opens the door for a terrorist to carry out an attack," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in a statement.

"Right now, there are 8,000 different state and local entities in the U.S. issuing birth certificates and driver's licenses," Chertoff said.

Having to distinguish phony from real in so many different documents, Chertoff said, "puts an enormous burden on our customs and border inspectors."

In a few cases, other documents still may be used for air entry into the U.S. by some frequent travelers between the U.S. and Canada, members of the American military on official business and some U.S. merchant mariners.

Under a separate program, the Homeland Security Department plans to require all travelers entering the U.S. by land or sea, including Americans, to show passports or an alternative security identification card when entering the U.S. starting as early as January 2008.

The Sept. 11 Commission recommended strengthening security of travel documents.

A law passed in 2004 mandated the change to require passports as the only acceptable travel document, with few exceptions, but the exact date had been in question.