For frequent and global travelers, new-ish programs like Global Entry and other Trusted Traveler programs (like SENTRI, NEXUS, and FAST) have been a godsend.
Many New Yorkers have been taking advantage of these programs, especially Global Entry (which often gets the cost covered by credit cards like Chase’s Sapphire Reserve, the United Explorer MileagePlus [free first year] and a few others), allowing for an expedited entry process through customs when arriving in the US from abroad.
The Dept of Homeland Security (DHS) has just announced that it is now banning all future applications and renewals from New York State due to NY’s new “Green Light Law.” A letter from DHS states that the Green Light Law will impede Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s “objective of protecting the people of New York from menacing threats to national security and public safety.”
The letter lists four Trusted Traveler programs that are managed by US Customs and Border Protection: Global Entry, which allows for faster clearance in customs for participants when they enter the US; NEXUS, which allows for quicker border crossing for qualified travelers between the US and Canada; Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI), another program that allows for quicker clearance for qualified travelers when they arrive in the US; and the Free And Secure Trade (FAST) program, which allows for quicker clearance for commercial shipments crossing the US border from Canada or Mexico.
Many are stating that this is political retaliation from the White House to liberal states that allow for greater privileges for undocumented immigrants to gain some form of legal identification.
Here’s the full letter by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection
