www.sdchamber.org

Public Policy Update

Angelika Villagrana, Executive Director of Public Policy

On February 26, 2009, Chamber president Ruben Barrales participated in an event at the San Ysidro Port of Entry with Former Customs & Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Ralph Basham and representatives from the CPB operational offices signifying the completion of technology upgrades at San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Calexico and Tecate border crossings with Mexico.  Technology upgrades at the Port of Andrade will be completed by May.

The upgrades include new software and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) hardware. CBP has installed the new technology to be ready for June 1, 2009, when the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will be implemented at U.S. land border crossings.  WHTI mandates that U.S. citizens will have to present valid travel documents denoting both citizenship and identity.  These documents include State Department-issued passport, passport cards, CBP’s trusted traveler program (NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST) cards, and Border Crossing Cards for Mexican travelers.

When read by a CBP officer, an RFID chip embedded in the travel document transmits a unique number to a secure database as the traveler’s vehicle approaches the border, enabling CBP officers to verify the traveler’s identity and citizenship more quickly than ever. No personally identifiable information is stored on the chip or transmitted when the RFID chip is read.

Preliminary testing showed that the use of an RFID-enabled document reduced vehicle primary processing time by an average of 27 percent at San Ysidro.  With more than 70,000 people traveling through the San Ysidro Port of Entry every day, this “smart” border technology will reduce congestion at the world’s busiest border crossing significantly.

The Chamber urges you to have your WHTI documents in order before the June 1 deadline.  Passport cards, a convenient wallet-sized document to be used for re-entry into the United States at border crossings and sea ports of entry, are a cheaper alternative than a passport book. 

Information on the cost and how to apply for a passport book and/or passport card is available at www.travel.state.gov

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Chamber President and CEO Ruben Barrales cutting the ribbon at a media

conference at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.