The United States Senate has adopted an amendment to a comprehensive immigration bill that would see a delay until June 1, 2009, in the implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. WHTI will require individuals to possess a passport, or yet-to-be determined substitute travel document(s), in order to enter the United States.
But this action does not necessarily mean the later deadline will be implemented, said David Bradley, Canadian Trucking Alliance chief executive officer. (To become law, the bill would have to be adopted by both the US House of Representatives and Senate, and signed into law by the president.)
Currently, WHTI requires all individuals entering the United States by land to possess a passport or alternative document(s) sufficient to determine the individuals' citizenship and identity by Jan 1, 2008. The law underlying the requirement notes that measures adopted shall “seek to expedite the travel of frequent travelers.”