Information for Travelers to the United States - Standstill at the Border - Expedited Entry Program for Travel to the United States Suspended

Information for travelers to the United States - While the dispute over funding for the Department of Homeland Security remains deadlocked in Washington, travelers are feeling the consequences at airports across the country. The Department of Homeland Security announced that the Global Entry program will be suspended for as long as the partial government shutdown continues. One day earlier, the agency had also announced that it would close the Transportation Security Administration’s expedited screening program PreCheck, but later reversed that decision. PreCheck will remain in operation for now, but Global Entry will be halted.

The background is a partial shutdown that has been ongoing since February 14. Democrats and the White House have not been able to agree on legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats are demanding changes to immigration measures that are central to President Donald Trump’s deportation policy. While political fronts remain hardened, security and customs procedures are beginning to slip. Global Entry is a program of Customs and Border Protection that allows pre screened travelers expedited entry. Industry experts estimate that it reduces entry wait times from an average of thirty to ninety minutes to five to ten minutes. Those who have Global Entry automatically receive PreCheck as well. According to authorities, more than twenty million Americans are registered with PreCheck, many of them also with Global Entry.

By midday Sunday, lines at international airports still appeared largely stable. The TSA app showed wait times of under fifteen minutes for most major hubs. But the situation is fragile. A severe winter storm front is expected to hit the East Coast from Sunday through Monday. For Monday, nine out of ten departures at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, LaGuardia, and Boston Logan Airport were canceled. Travelers returning from Cancún to Dallas had read about the suspension of Global Entry before departure. At Dallas Fort Worth Airport, they found that the regular line stretched around several corners, but was moving relatively quickly. With Global Entry, entry usually takes less than five minutes. On this Sunday, it was thirty minutes. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had previously said that shutdowns have “serious real consequences.” Emergency measures were being taken to secure limited resources. That includes concentrating personnel on the majority of travelers. At the same time, Noem announced that airport escort services for members of Congress would be eliminated during the shutdown. Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, welcomed the decision not to suspend PreCheck and called it a crisis avoided.

Early Sunday morning, travelers reported that at some airports there were initially no problems with the expedited screening program. Only during layovers or additional connecting flights did many receive news of developments in Washington. The short notice communication drew sharp criticism within the industry. Representatives of major airlines urged Congress to reach an agreement quickly. The announcement of the suspension had come with extremely short lead time and gave travelers little opportunity to plan.

Democratic members of the House Homeland Security Committee accused the administration of weakening programs that make travel safer and more efficient. Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey said on CNN that the measures were part of a strategy to shift responsibility and build pressure. “This administration is trying to use our institutions as a political bargaining chip and deliberately make life harder for people,” he said.

For now, the lines are manageable. But the combination of budget dispute, extreme weather, and cut programs shows how quickly a political stalemate can become a problem for millions. Global Entry stands still. PreCheck continues. And Washington keeps negotiating - while people wait at the airports. A little longer every day.