U.S. border security tightens

The United States has sharply intensified inspections and anti-terrorist surveillance along its Canadian and Mexican borders, reshaping the face of two of the most open international frontiers maybe for years to come.

More inspectors on more overtime are asking more questions at the overland border stations. They are opening more trunks and peering at cars more often with imaging equipment. More agents are taking to the air also, patrolling the vast stretches of forest, desert and waterway along more than 6,000 miles of border shared by the United States with its two neighbors.

Waits up to 15 hours have been reported at border crossings. Most travelers accept heavier security with patience and patriotism, but some border towns feel pangs from their pocketbooks.

Some Americans favor more inspectors and stricter screening to snag terrorists before they strike. Todd Spencer, an executive for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, has long felt too many people cross from Canada with questionable papers.

On a typical day, more than 1 million passengers in 350,000 vehicles, along with 30,000 commercial trucks, rumble past more than 150 established U.S. border sites with Canada and Mexico, according to Customs data.

The three nations have decreased travel and commercial barriers over the years.