US to extend border fees?

[Dr Mordrid]

The crossing fee would be $5.50 a pop. Let's be clear - we already do charge an entry fee for all but our fellow North Americans, who have until no had an exemption. It would effect Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean nations.

The elimination of this exemption is being asked for by the Administration, not Congress, via the Department of Homeland Security. It would be used to help defray the costs of inspections, scanners etc.

Link....

[Umfriend]

OUTRAGEOUS!

Uhm, why should we care?...

[UtwigMU]

Do you have guys checking you there or are you like Russians where on Domodedovo airport only women do the body checks?

[Brian Ellis]

I have already stopped all travel to the USA because of the degrading treatment accorded by the authorities from time to time and the security hassle. I know others who have done the same. Only the other day, my doctor, attending a medical congress, arrived at security to have an IRS agent force him to lie face down on the ground with his left shoe removed, while his hand baggage was searched. Apparently it is now illegal to take more than $10,000 in banknotes out of the country and doctors are one of the professions targeted by the IRS for enforcement. He swore never to enter the USA again.

OK, $5.50 isn't much, but many see it as an unfair imposition and it's just another nail in the American tourist industry's coffin.

[gt40]

I've already cancelled my yearly visits to the US. Too much hassle. I'll spend my $3K here.

[Dr Mordrid]

I agree - our security checks are stupid, and the reason is that we refuse to do Israeli-style pre-profiling instead of checking every granny and 2 year old's diaper. Here profiling isn't politically correct among the "civil liberties" crowd, and we can't have that so we violate everyone

[Mehen]

Ugh, this just means that lineups at the border are going to move even slower.

[UtwigMU]

Even this is probably not doing the job as there are tons of drugs, weapons and millions of people being smuggled each year through Mexican border. I read even Indian immigrants now enter USA through Mexico to join their families there.

[Dr Mordrid]

Yup, and even what amounts to a Mexucan civil war raging in its northern and central states isn't enough to get that bordrr sealed. If it were up to me the National Guard & regular Army, fortified with armed Reapers, would be given the task as the Border Patrol is outnumbered anx outgunned. Cripes, corrupted Mexican Army units in league with the narco-traffickers, regularly cross the border and often shoot at the Border Patrol