No passport required, Mexico and Canada

U.S. citizens won’t need a passport to cross over land into Canada or Mexico until the middle of next year, the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday.

According to MSNBC News services, new identification document requirements will take effect June 1, 2009. By then, U.S. travelers will need to prove both identification and citizenship when crossing the border. “We are on course to implement and enforce the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative which is an important step forward in securing the homeland,” Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said. “Limiting and standardizing the types of documents presented will result in a more secure and efficient border. We will continue to encourage cross-border travel and trade while at the same time decreasing identity theft and fraud.”