U.S. Works to Secure Southern Border

U.S. Homeland Security Director Thomas J. Ridge, in Mexico to push for a high-tech overhaul of the U.S.-Mexico border, said Tuesday that the presidents of the two countries may embrace such an initiative at an upcoming summit.

The plan, dubbed the “smart border” agreement, would use technology and data-sharing to boost security and trade. It would be modeled after a similar plan to which the United States and Canada agreed in principle in December.

Speaking to reporters, Ridge and Mexican Interior Minister Santiago Creel said they had made progress on the issue during a two-day visit by Ridge’s delegation. High-level customs, diplomatic, law enforcement and immigration officials from both sides met.

Ridge’s visit underscored the importance to the Bush administration of improving border controls in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. President Bush is also under pressure from U.S. business interests hurt by lengthy delays and inspections at border checkpoints.

Tighter inspections have caused long waits, especially in Texas, hurting businesses on both sides of the border. The Bush administration is eager to improve the flow of people, vehicles and commerce.

Declaring current border administration hopelessly outmoded, Ridge said the plan would include new technology to instantly identify border crossers and their vehicles, and cargo verification measures to speed inspections. Better sharing of information also could improve security and speed the flow of goods, vehicles and people along the 2,000-mile border. About 300 million people and 80 million vehicles cross the border annually.

Mexican President Vicente Fox told reporters Tuesday after meeting with Ridge that he would extend the cooperative spirit that his administration has fostered with Bush to border security.

“We have already a framework for coordination and teamwork on migration and drugs. And we will on this subject too,” Fox said.

Using “fast lanes,” in which cars are electronically identified with cameras and computers, and data-sharing could reduce border waits, Fox said.

However, increasing the use of fast lanes, now used in San Diego border crossings, would cost millions of dollars. Mexico is hard-pressed to pay for its part of any new border infrastructure projects. Ridge, a former Pennsylvania governor picked by Bush to lead domestic security efforts after Sept. 11, suggested Tuesday that private enterprise might be tapped to pay for some of the costs.

Some Mexicans have resisted the idea floated in the Bush administration of stationing U.S. customs and immigration officials on Mexican territory, seeing it as an infringement of Mexican sovereignty. Also, U.S. officials want Mexico to clamp down on its southern border, although Mexico lacks the funds.

Jorge Santibanez, president of the College of the Northern Border in Tijuana, said border modernization calls for serious study, cautioning that “a more automated border is not necessarily a more efficient one.”

“All the mechanisms that I have heard about are potentially negative to local Mexicans who regularly cross the border,” Santibanez said. “Ultimately, we have to recognize there is a contradiction between security and efficiency.”

Ridge said there was a good chance the plan would be embraced by Bush and Fox when they hold their summit March 22 in Monterrey.

“We have to have a joint vision. We can’t wait for one side of the border to solve the problems we have in common,” said Creel, the Mexican interior minister.

Rafael Aguirre in The Times’ Mexico City Bureau contributed to this report.