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| Wilson Wants DHS to Enforce Passport Policy to Help New Mexico Travelers |
June 07, 2007 |
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DHS Policy could let certain fliers travel with no passport
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson says a policy announced by the Department of Homeland Security with little fanfare could help thousands of New Mexico travelers pinched by passport delays. Until today, the Customs and Border Patrol featured an item on the front-page of their website telling travelers they could fly to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean or the Bahamas with no passport under certain conditions.
Wilson has asked the Department to clarify their policy and begin enforcing it.
The entire text of Wilson’s letter is below.
June 6, 2007
Secretary Michael Chertoff
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, D.C. 20528
Dear Secretary Chertoff,
As you know from my previous letter of May 25, 2007 and my conversation on May 30, 2007 with Deputy Secretary Michael P Jackson, my constituents are continuing to face serious problems getting passports in a timely manner. Having returned to Congress this week, I am hearing from my colleagues that New Mexico is not alone. Urgent passport problems are flooding into Congressional offices across the country and Americans are canceling summer travel because they can’t get passports.
I understand that there may be a policy in place that could help ease this unacceptable state of affairs that is not being used. According to the Customs and Border Patrol, travelers who have made good faith efforts to obtain passports for air travel between the United States and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda and have not been able to get them may be allowed to travel anyway. The CBP website, http://www.cbp.gov/, indicates the following:
Although the requirement is now in effect for all international air travelers to have a passport for travel into and out of the U.S., we are aware that some travelers have not been able to obtain passports because of delayed processing times in both Canada and the U.S. CBP has informed airlines that travelers with sufficient documentation to provide evidence of a good faith effort to obtain a passport in a timely fashion, (i.e. a receipt from an issuing agency) can be brought to the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda, where we will determine their admissibility on a case by case basis. Only travelers who have made an effort to obtain passports in a timely fashion should contact airlines about being allowed to board under these guidelines. Travelers who have been negligent in obtaining required documents should not expect to be accomodated. (sic) Travelers to and from other destinations previously requiring a passport for travel are not eligible for this accomodation. (sic)
The item above was dated 3/26/07.
If this is true, the Department of Homeland Security has authority to allow Americans to travel abroad and return in the Western Hemisphere when Americans have not been able to get passports through no fault of their own. Unfortunately, it appears airlines, the State Department Passport Office and local Customs and Border Patrol are not aware of this policy. Airlines tell our office that they will be penalized by the government if they allow anyone to board without a passport.
I would like confirmation that the statement from the CPB web site is current government policy. If it is, I would like to know how my constituents who have made good faith efforts to get passports can take advantage of this policy. In particular, I would like to know what directives have been sent to the airlines that fly between the United States and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda explaining the policy to them and how they should implement it. If copies of this directive and any communications from the Homeland Security Department to the airlines is available, I would like copies so that I can help my constituents and refer to specific guidance given to the airlines by your department.
In the month of May, I had over 500 constituents request assistance because they cannot get passports. In a normal month, one to three constituents will need help. In the last two weeks of May we were opening 20 to 70 new passport cases a day. Between 30 and 50 of my constituents had to change their travel plans or cancel their trips, often at significant expense to themselves, because the State Department is not issuing passports promptly. If there is a way to allow Americans to travel in the western hemisphere without a passport while this problem gets fixed, we need to make that happen.
Thank you for your prompt attention.
Sincerely,
Heather Wilson
Member of Congress
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