U.S., Mexico Finalize Border Security Pact

The White House has agreed to a new border security pact with Mexico aimed at catching terrorists while speeding legitimate trade, New York Times reported Friday.

The deal is good for short-haul truckers because many will be issued an electronic pass that will reduce the amount of time they have to wait to cross. The White House said this would free guards to spend more time inspecting suspicious people and goods.

Overall, the deal resembles the one between the U.S. and Canada announced in December, and encourages the use of technology on the border. (Click here for the related story.)

This pact will also increase funds to tighten security of all commercial shipments through expanded public-private partnerships, develop technology systems to increase security along the supply chain and post "nonintrusive inspection systems" on cross-border rail lines and at high-volume ports of entry, the Associated Press said.

The Times noted the money to implement pieces of the agreement will come from $40 billion in emergency spending that Congress approved after the attacks. The White House estimated that $1 billion will be spent on border security.

President Bush also said he is asking Congress for $5 billion more for airport and border security as part of a $27 billion emergency request that his administration sent to Capitol Hill on Thursday.

Also Thursday, Bush toured a U.S. Customs Service cargo dock where he viewed a demonstration of an large X-ray machine that is used for inspecting trucks for contraband. About 10 trucks an hour can be inspected using this new technology, the Times said.

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