Russ, thanks for clarifying. Now I am even more curious so I have been reading more & I still don't fully understand it! I remember when they announced the passport requirements for international travel calling it mandatory. I am a person who always attempts to obey the law without question so I got passports for my family. Now as I read the initiative it appears passports are required for international air travel, both for departing & re-entering the US, but for land & sea travel, they are not. The initiative states for land & sea travel one of several documents are acceptable for re-entry into the US.
"WHTI was successfully implemented on June 1, 2009 for entry into the U.S. by land and sea. U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry are required to present a WHTI-compliant document such as a valid passport, U.S. passport card, Trusted Traveler Program card (NEXUS, SENTRI, Global Entry or FAST), or an Enhanced Driver’s License." I don't see where it says a passport is mandatory for land & sea travel, but once you have one you can use an enhanced driver's license. It appears that passports were never required for those traveling by land or sea, but they
implied you needed one. So guys like me went out & spent $500 with the Feds when we could have applied for one of the other compliant documents. A way for the Feds to improve their database? A fundraiser? Or are passports really required & I am still missing something?