Passport laws

[Rob Sherlin]

  New border laws require you to have a passport. Living in Niagara Falls, NY, the cadets would go to air shows, encampments, and airline sim training in Canada. The new passport law puts a major financial hault on these events for the cadets (unless CAP is willing to spring for passports).
  It seems ridiculous to me that a bunch of cadets, with senior leaders (in uniform with proof of citizenship) would be questioned, when you have other non- American born people coming in, opening businesses, and abusing the system (taxes, grants, etc.), and then taking flee to where you can't collect.
  It's almost the same as our gun laws! The only people it seems to make any hold to, are the people who own guns and are responsible...Not the criminals (half the guns that are involved in crimes are stolen in the first place).
  If CAP were to take more responsibility in protecting our borders, do you think things would be a little easier for friendly crossing situations like this?

[EMT-83]

Rob, don't a lot of Niagara Falls residents cross the border on a regular basis, outside of CAP? If I'm not mistaken, that's what the NEXUS program is for. There's no charge for those age 17 and under.

Last time I visited the falls, I couldn't use my favorite crossing (under the railroad bridge, can't remember the name) as it was NEXUS only.

[Eclipse]

As always, Wiki has the answers...mmmm....wiki....

NEXUS is a joint Canada-United States program designed to let pre-approved travellers cross between Canada and United States more quickly. Members of the program can avoid long waits at border entry points by using self-serve kiosks at airports, reserved lanes at land crossings, or by phoning border officials when entering by water. The program is operated by the Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. A NEXUS membership card is a valid document under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative when used at a NEXUS kiosk.

Eligibility

Only citizens and permanent residents of Canada or the United States are eligible for the NEXUS program. Applicants must have lived in one of these countries continuously for the last three years. Authorities check applicants' documentation, run background checks, and take fingerprints, photographs, and digital iris photographs. Applicants must pay a fee, which is waived for applicants under 18 years of age. Applicants who pass these checks are issued a NEXUS card, which is valid for five years from the applicant's birthday following card issuance.

[Rob Sherlin]

 I just know the cadets missed out on the upcoming event they usually do (we're camping instead of going for flight training). If there is a free program, it was not mentioned (I haven't been across the border in 4 years (and even then, I did so with no ID or passport...believe it or not!...I got hassled, but still was let in!).

[Eclipse]

Without tougher entrance requirements, how are we gonna keep these guys out!?

[JoeTomasone]

DVR the show "Homeland Security USA" and you'll get some different perspectives on this.

One reason to require passports is to prevent child trafficking.

[JC004]

I have one of these.  $45 isn't too bad.

[JayT]

  New border laws require you to have a passport. Living in Niagara Falls, NY, the cadets would go to air shows, encampments, and airline sim training in Canada. The new passport law puts a major financial hault on these events for the cadets (unless CAP is willing to spring for passports).
  It seems ridiculous to me that a bunch of cadets, with senior leaders (in uniform with proof of citizenship) would be questioned, when you have other non- American born people coming in, opening businesses, and abusing the system (taxes, grants, etc.), and then taking flee to where you can't collect.
  It's almost the same as our gun laws! The only people it seems to make any hold to, are the people who own guns and are responsible...Not the criminals (half the guns that are involved in crimes are stolen in the first place).
  If CAP were to take more responsibility in protecting our borders, do you think things would be a little easier for friendly crossing situations like this?

*shrugs* Do Border Control agents on vacation have the same requirements? Do local cops, feds, and state cops? Or what about military personal on leave?

Just because you have a bunch of kids in the same outfit with an adult in the same outfit doesn't mean you get a free pass from the laws attempting to protect the borders.

Also, as I said above, our duty in protecting the border has nothing to do with cadets and SM's crossing it for a camping trip.

Not that I view CAP as a bunch of kids in the same outfit, but you have to look at it from the global perspective.

[PHall]

It not like the passport requirement was a secret or something. DHS has been talking about this for about 2 years.

[sardak]

About two minutes of research on US passports turned this up:

Children: Beginning June 1, 2009, U.S. and Canadian citizens under the age of 16, or under the age of 19 traveling with a school, religious or other youth group, may present a birth certificate, consular report of birth abroad, naturalization certificate or Certificate of Canadian Citizenship. Birth certificate can be an original, photocopy or certified copy.
http://www.getyouhome.gov/html/lang_eng/eng_sa.html

Mike

[NIN]

DVR the show "Homeland Security USA" and you'll get some different perspectives on this.

One reason to require passports is to prevent child trafficking.

While I tend to agree with you on this, its so poorly implemented that they might as well just not bother..

To get back to my family in Michigan, its easy to hop across southern Ontario (Niagara Falls to Windsor) from where I live in New England (faster, shorter, etc). 

When I brought my son to MI in 2004, we were told "have a notarized letter saying that the other parent approves you bringing your son out of the country.."  I said "Why would that be an issue?  My wife and I are married, why wouldn't she approve?" (the answer, is, of course, that the border patrol doesn't know that you're married. For all they know, you're divorced and trying to pull a parental abduction)   Lo and behold, we hit the border and they said "Where is the child's mother?" I said "Back at home in NH.." and the border patrol officer said "Does she know you're bringing the child out of the country?"  and I produced the letter.    Off we go.  Same question going the other direction at the end of the trip, both Canadian customs and US.

When I made that same trip in April of last year, I went thru the same painstaking process of getting a notarized letter. Even more important now that I'm divorced.  Never got a single question going in either direction.   (and I produced my newly renewed passport going in both directions, which was well received)

To the OP:  Are you doing "authorized" CAP activities in Canada?  It would seem that you'd be able to pre-coordinate that kind of thing.

[Cecil DP]

I don't thing the Border Patrol or Canadian authorities were in any way shy about advertising the passport requirement well ahead of the scheduled implementation. (something that is rare in government). Failure to plan ahead,know the rules or to think they don't apply to you is no reason to complain in  public about the fairness of the policy.

[Rotorhead]

I just know the cadets missed out on the upcoming event they usually do (we're camping instead of going for flight training). If there is a free program, it was not mentioned (I haven't been across the border in 4 years (and even then, I did so with no ID or passport...believe it or not!...I got hassled, but still was let in!).

The law is the law. It has been well-publicized in the news media.

And, frankly, it would be a lot easier for CAP members, Cadet or otherwise, to simply follow it, than to change the mandate of the organization in hopes of making transit across the border easier.