Cost should be considered not just in terms of how much the passport document itself costs to produce, but also in terms of the efficient operation of the customs service and the reduction in crime committed by those who would value false identification documents.
Which do you think costs more:
- (a) 100,000 biometric passports
- (b) one customs employee with training costs, a salary, benefits and a pension?
- (a) 11.5 million passports (approximately all of them).
- (b) Losses associated with less efficient international trade if the next 9/11-style terrorists enter the U.S. from Canada.
