November 16, 2007 8:54AM 

# WHTI Should Go 

By [Jim Harper](https://www.cato.org/people/jim-harper) 

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Rep. Bart Stupak (D‑MI) has had the good sense to introduce a [bill to repeal the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative](http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_4186.html).

WHTI is a classic self-injurious overreaction to the threat of terrorism. The [reductions in lawful trade and travel](https://www.cato.org/2007/01/24/hear-that-its-the-sound-of-a-nation-constricting/) produced by WHTI and the [direct costs of the program](https://www.cato.org/2007/08/16/what-price-restricted-freedom/) are greater than the damage to the country that would be averted by this readily defeated “security” measure.

##### Related Tags 

[Defense and Foreign Policy](https://www.cato.org/defense-foreign-policy), [Constitutional Law](https://www.cato.org/constitutional-law), [Technology and Privacy](https://www.cato.org/technology-privacy), [Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies](https://www.cato.org/robert-levy-center-constitutional-studies) 

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