By Justin O’Brien
February 6, 2006

Mayors discussed secure travel documentation and the Secure Border Initiative at the Cities and Borders Task Force during the 74th Winter Meeting of the Conference of Mayors in Washington January 26. The session was chaired jointly by Laredo Mayor Elizabeth G. Flores and Detroit Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick, the mayors of the two largest and busiest ports of entry on the US-Mexico and US-Canada borders. They were joined by Federation of Canadian Municipalities President Gloria Kovach, in addition to Homeland Security and State Department officials.

Flores described the need to ensure industry and border community needs are integrated into new cross-border travel security requirements. She emphasized the need to avoid unnecessary additional layers of security on top of already existing and proven security measures. She also urged continued federal government-mayoral dialogue, cooperation and collaboration to accomplish and implement security measures. Kilpatrick acknowledged the need for standards for both land borders while also saying that cities and ports on both borders have distinct, different needs and many unique issues. Kilpatrick went on to emphasize the importance of remaining flexible in how these needed security measures are implemented.

Federation of Canadian Municipalities Gloria Kovach explained during the discussion of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative that the consequences and influence of the program will be felt far beyond border communities noting important trade and travel data. While 5.2 million U.S. jobs rely on U.S.-Canada trade and $1.2 billion of trade crosses the U.S.-Canada border daily, there are additional considerations including that 25 percent of border crossings at Buffalo-Niagara are families crossing to visit. There are approximately 300,000 crossings every day on the U.S.-Canada border.

Department of Homeland Security’s Director of the US-VISIT program Jim Williams explained his department’s and the initiative’s sensitivity to local economies’ needs. He said it was important for the U.S. to remain as welcoming a country as it has been throughout history, while implementing 21st century technology, responding to threats, while at the same time advancing efficiencies in border crossing processes. Referencing the successes of the U.S.-VISIT and a need to standardize border crossing process to counter vulnerabilities, “The way we get this done is to work together,” Williams said.

Alcy Frelick, Senior Advisor Western Hemisphere Travel Intiative at the Department of State, described ongoing harmonization initiatives that work in cooperation with the Canadian government, explaining that security and facilitation concerns in the U.S. are also mirrored in Canada. WHTI needs to be able to solve and handle frequent cross-border travel she added, noting that the system is not yet perfect.

Gregory Giddens, DHS’ Director for the Secure Border Initiative (SBI), echoed earlier remarks that border security is not just a border city issue. He said that the challenge with SBI is dealing with and arriving at the initiative’s many goals and objectives in a systematic way. Giddens asked for a partnership with the mayors and the Conference to chart the way forward to strengthen the applicability, provisions and implementation of SBI. With the right kinds of inputs from mayors, the initiative can make needed progress he said. Giddens also stressed Secretary Chertoff’s and the Department’s commitment to end the practice of Catch and Release.

Mayors described a myriad of concerns irrespective of the geographic location of their cities, from a lack of state government support to assist and deal with related issues, to the need for a workable guest worker program, to the controversial minutemen projects and enforcement of employment laws. On the issue of illegal alien detention, providing law enforcement officers with training and 276(g) authority was described as a supportive force multiplier for dealing with the issues of detention and deportation. The economic reasons for migration and economic opportunity in countries of origin must be addressed by the government in bilateral relations said Rio Rancho (NM) Mayor Jim Owens.

North Richland Hills (TX) Mayor Oscar Trevino described the embarrassment of being singled out and taken aside upon his return to the United States from Mexico, despite having a valid travel documentation following an official visit to Monterrey, Mexico. Trevino, a Latino, said his treatment had all the hallmarks of racial or ethnic profiling on the part of the Border Patrol and federal agencies at the border crossing, and said people-to-people issues should not be ignored at the border. Williams described DHS initiatives aimed at improving the professionalism of Border Patrol agents and other federal officials and agents on the border. Trevino said he is very concerned that American Hispanics are being treated as non-Americans. Kilpatrick noted similar concerns remarking on the frequency of cross border travel in the Detroit-Windsor area and the fact that Detroit remains home to the largest ethnic Arab population outside the Middle East.