Border Security
Border Security Fact Sheet
Canada: Action Plan for Creating a Secure and Smart Border
Specifics of Secure and Smart Border Action Plan
Smart Border: 22 point agreement
Quick Facts about the U.S.-Mexico Border
Securing America's Borders Fact Sheet: Border Security
America's borders - land, air or sea - are the boundaries between the United States and the rest of the world. The massive flow of people and goods across our borders helps drive our economy, but can also serve as a conduit for terrorists, weapons of mass destruction, illegal migrants, contraband, and other unlawful commodities. The new threats and opportunities of the 21st century demand a new approach to border management. President Bush envisions a border that is grounded on two key principles:
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First, America's air, land, and sea borders must provide a strong defense for the American people against all external threats, most importantly international terrorists but also drugs, foreign disease, and other dangerous items.
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Second, America's border must be highly efficient, posing little or no obstacle to legitimate trade and travel.
The President's 2003 Budget begins the process of achieving this
vision of the border of the future.
Facts about America's Borders
The United States has a 7500-mile land and
air border shared with Canada and Mexico and an exclusive economic zone
encompassing 3.4 million square miles.
Each
year, more than 500 million people are admitted into the United States,
of which 330 million are non-citizens.
On land, 11.2 million trucks and 2.2 million rail cars cross into the
United States, while 7,500 foreign-flag ships make 51,000 calls in U.S. ports annually.
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