Chertoff: Land- exit tracking still not viable

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration on Friday defended its decision to postpone a plan to track foreign visitors as they leave the country by land. An incoming Senate Democratic committee chairwoman called for hearings on the delay.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said he still intends to implement the tracking program, but the department currently does not have a viable system to track people crossing into Canada and Mexico by land.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who will chair the Judiciary subcommittee on terrorism and homeland security, said that she was dismayed by the decision.

"This failure, which follows on delay after delay since 1996, essentially means that there will be no exit-monitoring system at the nation's 50 busiest land border crossings," Feinstein said.