Mayor Cook: Chertoff Isn’t Familiar With Border Economics

By Darren Hunt

EL PASO — El Paso Mayor John Cook returns fiery remarks for those he considered ‘out of touch’ with the day-to-day experience of crossing the international borders.

Secretaryof Homeland Security Michael Chertoff said Thursday that those complaining about new border crossing rules needed to ‘grow up.’

Cook responded Friday that Chertoff didn’t understand the mass confusion the new requirements might cause and how they ultimately may stifle trade and tourism.

Cooksaid Chertoff was unwilling to hear suggestions from those most familiar with border business and security.

Employing new technologies such as retinal scanners or designating certain lines and lanes for certain types of traffic would be beneficial, Cook said, but claimed that Chertoff has failed to provide any direction for such measures.

“The technology is there, all we need is the guidance for it and once Secretary Chertoff matures to the point where he’s able to say, ‘This is the technology, let’s invest federal, state and local money into it,’ then I think you’ll start to address the issue of border security,” Cook said.

The mayor explained that the border issues involve more than pedestrian traffic or people, but also affects commerce.

Citing $54 billion in trade revenue that moves north and south between our number one trading partner, Cook cautioned that even small business owners will be adversely affected, a sector that the Bush administration prides itself on protecting.

Starting Jan. 31, you will need to have a passport or similarly secure document, or a combination of two other documents. Single document option:

U.S. or Canadian passport. U.S. passcard (these won’t be available until spring). So-called “trusted traveler card,” which includes NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST cards (These are typically used only by people who cross the border frequently, often for work). State or province issued “enhanced” driver’s license (states are only beginning to produce these, so they are not available in most places). U.S. military ID with travel orders. U.S. merchant mariner document. Native American Tribal Photo ID card. Form I-872 American Indian Card. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Card.

If you don’t have a passport or one of these other IDs, there is a two-document option, the most likely combination being a driver’s license and a birth certificate. Border crossers can present a driver’s license or ID card, or a U.S. or Canadian ID card, along with one of the following:

Birth certificate. U.S. Consular report of birth abroad. U.S. Certificate of Naturalization. U.S. Certificate of Citizenship. U.S. Citizen Identification Card. Canadian citizenship card. Canadian certificate of citizenship without photo.

18 and under: U.S. and Canadian citizens 18 and younger need a birth certificate issued by a federal, state, provincial, county, or municipal authority.