Lawmakers say no to entry fee along Canadian-U.S. border

May 28, 2013

Lawmakers from northern states are saying “no” to a proposed study of a fee to enter the United States by land. They say it will hurt cities along the U.S. - Canadian border. Last month the Department of Homeland Security requested permission to study an entry fee at the nation's land border crossings. Currently it costs nothing to enter the United states by land.

Eighteen lawmakers sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano saying that an entry fee would hurt communities on the border that rely on people and goods moving between the U.S. and Canada.

Fee supporters said border entries are in need of infrastructure improvements that are not currently funded. There are more than 100 U.S. Canadian and 46 U.S.–Mexico land border crossings.

Visitors entering the U.S. by air or sea already pay a fee of under $2 that is included in ticket prices.