U.S. government promotes travel policies

U.S. government promotes travel policies    The departments of State and Homeland Security on Tuesday announced a joint border security strategy for processing travelers and workers.
   The two departments are working together to develop biometric travel documents, expedite the processing of temporary worker visas, and use advance data and technology to screen travelers against terrorist and other databases.
   A key part of the border control effort related to cross-border cargo movement is the development of an inexpensive document that could be used in lieu of a passport for travel between Mexico, Canada and the United States. Under a law that will start to go in effect late this year, citizens of the United States, Canada and Mexico for the first time will have to show a passport, or similar document, rather than a driver’s license as proof of identity. Truckers have expressed concern about the difficulty of obtaining a passport and that showing such travel documents would slow deliveries.
   DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff said the new entry document would contain a biometric chip and look like a drivers license, while serving as an alternative to a traditional passport.