Chamber Delegation dines with DHS Chief

WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI - John Akouri, Chairman & CEO of the Lebanese American Chamber of Commerce dined last night with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff at the home of Dr. Yahya Basha in suburban Detroit. At the dinner, the Secretary discussed issues relating to Homeland Security, spoke briefly with guests in attendance and posed for pictures. The dinner was organized by the Department's Officers for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Daniel Sutherland & George Selim who are frequent visitors to the area building relations and accepting input. Earlier in the day, the Secretary announced a major policy iniative saying that US and Canadian children will be exempt from new rules that require travelers to show passports when entering the US at land or sea borders, a move aimed at helping families and school groups. Secretary Chertoff discussed the relaxation in rules at a speech to the Detroit Economic Club before touring the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, a link with Windsor, Ontario under the Detroit River. Mr. Chertoff told dinner guests that he would be leaving for Canada to join other Senior officials from the United States, Canada and Mexico for talks today. According to the AP: talks include ways to to thwart cross-border security threats, cope with a potential bird flu outbreak and boost North American trade. With growing Mexican and Canadian concerns about U.S. border restrictions imposed since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Chertoff, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez were meeting their counterparts from the two countries to consider cooperation on the issues. Hosted by Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay, the gathering of the two-year-old Security and Prosperity Partnership is expected to result in recommendations for President Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon to consider at a summit later this year in Canada.