Letter Condemns Secretary Noem For Abusing Authority To Undermine Travel And Tourism For Political Purposes
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) sent a letter urging Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem to immediately reopen the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Global Entry program, and ensure that Transportation Security Administration (TSA) PreCheck will remain open. The letter also requests that DHS explain the decision-making process that led them to suspend the programs as part of shutdown-related operational adjustments, given that neither Global Entry nor TSA PreCheck predominantly rely on federally appropriated funding to operate. The Trump administration’s harmful and unnecessary decision to suspend Global Entry and potentially shut down TSA PreCheck, places avoidable strain on CBP officers, TSA agents, and the lawfully traveling public.
“Global Entry and TSA PreCheck are both longstanding trusted traveler programs designed to expedite screening and entry for pre-vetted, low-risk travelers. Both programs are funded primarily through user fees that applicants and enrollees pay, not through annual discretionary appropriations,” wrote Senator Rosen. “Therefore, given the lack of connection to appropriated dollars, your decision to suspend these fee-funded programs – and in the case of Global Entry, keep it closed – raises important questions about the legal and operational analysis underlying DHS’s actions and proposals. Moreover, Global Entry and TSA PreCheck allow CBP and TSA officers to concentrate resources on unknown or higher-risk travelers. Suspending these programs increases congestion, lengthens wait times at airports and ports of entry, and imposes unnecessary burdens on lawful travelers and U.S. commerce.”
“Your recent decision to unnecessarily shut down Global Entry is part of a troubling trend of you and Special Government Employee (SGE) Corey Lewandowski using your authority to pick and choose what government services to provide, withhold, or threaten to withhold to maximize the Administration’s political leverage and create uncertainty,” continued the senator. “Given these concerns, I urge DHS to immediately reopen Global Entry and ensure that PreCheck remains available to travelers. I also request a detailed explanation of the decision-making process that led to the suspension of TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, including the legal authority relied upon, the operational or budgetary assessments conducted, the officials who authorized the action, and the rationale for restoring PreCheck while leaving Global Entry closed.”
The full letter can be found HERE.
As a member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Senator Rosen has been a leader in promoting and defending Nevada’s travel and tourism industry and its workforce. She has also pushed against measures by the Trump administration that prioritize cost-cutting over the safety of Americans, and has been an advocate for Nevada’s transportation and infrastructure needs.
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