Have you ever been told that "only 5% of Americans have passports"? This "fact" is usually trotted out by Europeans in order to dismiss all things American. I just heard it again recently and I thought:
Really? Are you sure about that?
So I put on my sleuthing cap. It turns out that over 70 million Americans own passports, or between 25-27%. This number is sure to rise after January 22nd, when Americans will have to hold passports to go to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, South and Central America, and the Caribbean, where they formerly did not.
So if you ever hear this particular canard from some smug, self-satisfied individual, you can feel quite pleased with yourself when you let him know he is WRONG.


...Mexican immigrants with legal status are paranoid about getting that Passport & avoiding hassles, which would account for MORE than 5% total of all US Passports...Contrary to popular belief, Border Patrol agents DO check papers & DO bust chops when people re-enter the US.



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