White House Sticking With Passport Plan

The Bush administration said Tuesday that it still planned to require passports from all foreigners entering the United States by the end of next year, despite calls for a delay by some Republicans worried about strained relations with Canada.

At issue is a 2004 law, being phased in over three years, to tighten U.S. borders against terrorists and other criminals. But critics on both sides of the nation’s northern border fear the passport requirement will hamper commerce and tourism between Canada and the U.S., the world’s largest trading bloc.

“We have to work with the law as it currently exists,” Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said after meeting with Canadian Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day.

“I think it’s a deadline we can meet,” Chertoff said.

Asked whether the U.S. would be ready with new technology and staffing demands to handle the stricter inspections by Dec. 31, 2007, Chertoff said, “It seems to me way premature to raise the flag of defeat when I think we have ample precedent and ample ability to meet the deadline.”