Mich. residents buy 13,000 enhanced licenses, IDs

WKAR Public Media

Published May 26, 2009 at 6:09 PM EDT

By AP

(Lansing, MI) – Lansing, MI) - AP
More than 13,000 Michigan residents have bought the state's new enhanced driver's licenses and identification cards in their first month of existence.

Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land said Tuesday demand has increased to about 600 requests per day in the last two weeks. The new licenses are expected to make it quicker for motorists to enter the U.S. from Canada and Mexico while improving security.

Standard driver's licenses no longer will be accepted to return to the U.S. starting June 1. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative passed in 2005 requires all travelers entering the country by land or sea to have a passport or other approved identification at borders.

The enhanced licenses and IDs meet the new requirements.

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