WASHINGTON—Some lawmakers from border states are biting back at Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff for saying that critics of new border security rules need to "grow up."
Republican Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota says Chertoff's "grow up" comment shows that Homeland Security doesn't understand how its policies will affect "the everyday lives of border community residents."
Under the new rules, Americans and Canadians will have to present proof of citizenship, usually in the form of a passport or a birth certificate, to get into the country. A driver's license and oral declaration of citizenship won't be enough.
Maine Democratic U.S. Rep. Tom Allen says he's heard from Mainers concerned about the cost of passports or about carrying important documents like birth certificates just to cross the border. He says the new regulations will also have a negative economic impact on employees and employers on both sides of the border.
