Wednesday night the Trump administration announced a new policy that New York residents are no longer eligible to apply for (or renew) Global Entry, SENTRI, or Nexus. That means no more expedited immigration, and it means New Yorkers getting their TSA PreCheck through these programs wouldn’t have that benefit renewed either.
New York started giving drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants, and to protect their identity from the federal government the state’s DMV stopped sharing information with the federal government. The government, in turn, declared they couldn’t process applications without DMV data (though they’ve been doing so since the law passed, do so for residents of other states, and continue to process green card and citizenship applications for New York residents).
It was unclear what would happen to New Yorkers who already had submitted applications (and renewals). That’s now clear. Those applications have reportedly been flushed.
I've confirmed CBP flushed all EXISTING applications for new/renewed Global Entry from NY residents. NY will sue and get a TRO, but that won't help folks who lost applications.
Check ur account. If ur "pending" application disappeared, call credit card and contest $100 charge
— Joe Brancatelli (@joesentme) February 8, 2020
What New Yorkers who already had pending renewals in progress have gone from seeing ‘pending’ to no renewal in process. An in process Global Entry renewal application served as an extension for expiring Global Entry. This may lead to current Global Entry status being revoked (and along with it PreCheck, though that can still be applied for separately by New Yorkers).
Even if New York state, which is challenging the federal government, manages to prevail in court applications may not be restored. New Yorkers may have to apply again (and pay another application fee). They may have to start at the beginning of the long queue. Hopefully any judge siding with the state will order the reinstatement of applications, and hopefully that will be technically feasible as well.
Copyright: andreyuu / 123RF Stock Photo
In the meantime if you don’t have Global Entry and cannot apply for it, and have an upcoming international trip, consider downloading the mobile passport app or using a kiosk on arrival back to the U.S. Hopefully this row will be resolved quickly.
Update: Apparently refunds for cancelled applications are being processed. If you paid with a card that gave you a statement credit, that statement credit is likely to be reversed (but then you should be able to re-use the credit later). It will be more time consuming to obtain a refund if the card account used for your application fee is no longer active.
@ Gary — I hope I outlive Trump.
For all those current and former NY/NYC Republican voters who love travel and yet played along with Trump and his fellow Republicans’ bashing ways aimed at Democrats in and after the Obama-Biden years, isn’t this denial of (new and renewal) Global Entry applications their reward?
@GUWonder that’s like two people, right?
CBP plays games with mobile passport control at times, as in sometimes CBP disables MPC or even pulls the plug on MPC at some airports. But when it works, it works great.
CBP has also had airports pull out automated passport control kiosks at some airport terminals where they were previously working just fine.
Gary Leff,
No, it’s way more than just two.
Flushing is long associated with (Queens) New York so what is the reigning issue? A good question to ask is whether NYs illegal immigrant driver licenses eliminate the positive ID requirements by TSA for boarding flights (will the licenses carry the gold star?). Or do the newfound “rights” of illegals now force NY citizens to buy and carry passports to board planes?
“That’s now clear. Those applications have reportedly been flushed.”
If it “reportedly” happened then it is not clear.
It certainly happened exactly as reported to my renewal application yesterday.
Yeah, finally someone is plugging Mobile Passport as I suggested in a previous post on the Trump ban.
Trump policy rationale proven to be lies once again. His supporters love it. They suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome, which causes blindness, moral amnesia, and atrophy of higher brain functions.
Excellent! As Ralph Waldo Emerson penned “When you strike at a king, you must kill him.” The coup failed. Retribution will swift and sweet.
Jose,
Sometimes rulers are struck and get penned in despite not being killed. One such ruler was the Sultan who got struck and deposed by some old folks but later returned to be Sultan and ended up (during his second reign) conquering Constantinople for his Ottoman dynasty. Trump won’t be much of a conqueror or anything else by the time he’s gone from the POTUS scene in 2025 or earlier.
GUWonder’s doddering incoherent blathering almost makes one have to root for the ersatz bloodthirsty fascist.
TDS much? And who says that Trump will leave office in 2025? With the Dems and the deep state thoroughly destroyed by then, he may decide to stay until 2029 or even 2033.
It sucks innocent New Yorkers have to pay the price for the Cuomo Administration and the NYS government’s bad policies which aid and abet illegal immigration. Yes I’m from New York and glad the New York Government is being held accountable. If you are upset about this complain to Cuomo. Stopping illegal immigration is more important than my convenience or global entry renewal.
JonNYC,
Still annoyed by my existence and easily triggering yourself? Seems so, but whatever … even as you remind me of Trump with his pettiness and eagerness to go on the verbal attack.
Root for whomever you want when you want, but I won’t ever be seduced or almost seduced to root for any “ersatz bloodthirsty fascist” or anyone else who may be inclined or almost inclined to support Trump or any who remind me of him. 😉
Jose seems to love being ruled by a dictator/god king.
I don’t understand why some believe that it is acceptable for a non-citizen to be in this country without permission. It would be nice if I could bypass the horrendous queues at Heathrow in order to get into London quickly. I cannot go into any foreign country and just show up without my passport and without the permission of that country’s Immigration and Passport Control service.
I also don’t understand the rationale of granting someone, who has no legal basis for being here, a state sanctioned drivers license or any other State or Federal benefit. Why are they entitled to anything?
How does this make sense?
Frankly, I don’t care where anyone sits on the political spectrum and I don’t care who does or does not suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome. That’s your choice and/or problem.
One detail on the DHS TTP website notice: they claim refunds for these cancelled applications/renewals will be processed automatically. Guess we will get data points on that soon from the many people affected by this.
I guess we will have to use Mobile Passport when our global entry expires. Certainly not the same but looks reasonable for using until the present administration in Washington changes.
As far as i can tell, it looks like i can still renew with pre check, for now. Again, if that goes away we will just have to wait until the present administration in Washington changes.
I am a New York state resident who had Conditional Approval for my renewal application. The Trusted Traveler Programs website now says, “You have no applications in progress.”
Per their press release on February 6, “Refunds will be processed automatically.” (https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/new-york-residents-no-longer-eligible-apply-or-renew-trusted)
Per Chase Customer Service, when the $100 credit posts, it will reverse the credit I already received from my Sapphire Reserve benefit and count as if I did not use the benefit.
So…how can they not touch TSA PreCheck – isn’t the process similar to GlobalEntry – in terms of information from the DMV?
And knowing the Trump Administration – how do we know that not all the GE memberships have been cancelled? Can they selectively keep some ?
Lastly….if they do this to NY, who’s to say they won’t do it to California or San Francisco or other sanctuary cities.
Well one good thing has come out of it. JonNYC, the AA rat, has been dealt some pain. Eat it Jonboy.
Cooperation flows both ways. Why do you think the feds have to cooperate with the state and not vice versa? The very real fact is that the DHS relies on that database for information about DUI or other aggravated traffic offenses.
When Dems stop conflating anti illegal immigration with anti immigration, then adults can have a serious conversation about immigration policy. Or better yet, win elections and change the laws instead of ignoring them. Until then, NY, you’re fired!
Ron: Amen. If people want to live in high tax states with “interesting” policies on illegals, have at it. But there may be consequences. Please don’t compromise MY security.
I hope we ALL outlive Trump.
He is a vindictive child.
@Gary “@GUWonder that’s like two people, right?”
Correct. Both of us are bummed out about this but by the way, it has nothing to do with illegal aliens getting drivers’ licenses. It’s not a question of retribution, like ‘New York won’t share information about illegal aliens with us so we won’t be nice to anyone from New York.’
No. It’s a knock on effect of the provision of the New York law that blocks background checks, which applies to all New Yorkers and prevents the Global Entry system from completing its background check process:
“Under the Green Light Law, no DMV data of any kind can be shared with an agency that primarily enforces immigration law, which means ICE, Customs and Border Protection and Citizenship and Immigration Services do not have access to data unless the DMV is presented with a valid judge-signed court order, subpoena or judicial warrant,” Koumjian said in a statement.
“We should be clear that this law doesn’t just protect the data of undocumented immigrants; it protects the data of all New Yorkers who are applying for a standard license,” Joshi said Tuesday. “It treats all New Yorkers who are applying for a standard license the same.”
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/12/19/new-york-drivers-licenses-open-undocumented-immigrants-green-light-law/2696451001/
So it’s a case of retribution by New York against ICE. Basically they are saying “because you enforce immigration laws against illegal aliens, we’re not cooperating with you in any way at all.
No taxation without representation ~ Blue states are underrepresented in the Senate and House and we pay more in federal taxes than red states. In fact, blue states pay red states bills. NJ, NY, MD, MA, & CA property owners are paying higher taxes to offset Trump’s tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. If there was a way of starving red states of federal revenue, red state Senators and House members would stop attacking blue states.
@Ron: There are very practical reasons undocumented people are given a drivers license. Undocumented people will drive if they must whether they have a driver’s license or not. States may provide drivers licenses to undocumented people so that they may purchase and be covered by insurance when they drive. They now have ID and may also be identified by law enforcement as a witness, a victim or a subject. Both are common sense protections for all residents. The mean-spirited vengeful actions of the current administration not only hurts all Americans but is just plain bad policy.
Raathaater,
The US federal government has access to drunk driving arrest records for NY, so the idea that this move by the Trump Admin is about arrest and conviction history for GE applicants is a canard.
My 2 cents- I have global entry and mine was just renewed in August. I am a NY state resident and I understand the need to protect citizens from would be criminals. That being said there was no need to punish the whole state. Had the feds said no new applications..ok. But shutting down an entire application process and not renewing people who have already been vetted is insane. I hope Andrew Cuomo and Leticia James file the lawsuit… and win.
Note that the drivers’ licenses these undocumented people are getting do not meet the Real ID standard – thus they will not be valid at TSA checkpoints or to enter federal facilities where ID is required. That’s not the problem. The issue is not letting Homeland Security check driver records.
So much hate out there. Trump/Trump/Trump. He was elected by the people.I think the Governor Of N.Y.C should be kept accountable for the illegal immigrants that the Dem’s care about so much .As one of your other subscribers mentioned. Other countries do not allow illegals to enter or stay in there countries……should we blame the leaders of all these countries too. Or maybe that’s Trumps fault as well. He is attempting to keep the country safe and stop illegal immigration. Why is that a bad thing. If you want to live in the U.S.A, there is a process involved. It’s a legal process.Why can’t the general public abide by this. Instead of trying to go around the legalities of entering the United States.
Maybe when NY state politicians realize they forgot about their constituents (ie actual citizens) while pulling out all the stops for illegals we can get back to normal. This change makes sense to me.
Poke the bull get gored, LOL
@John Waters +1
Gosh, this is so awesome! Trump manages in one fell swoop to punish stoopid liberal state policies and pit TDS Never Trumpers against each other. Christmas in February.
David,Terry and Raathaater above, I am sure racists statewide agree with you that immigrants should be treated as less than human. Perhaps we can take away their licenses and put them all in cages as has already been done with so many children. Blame Trump not good people who recognize the humanitarian crisis Trump has caused.
Allen the Mark (because he is a sucker for race hustlers) shows up. Probably the most gullible repeat commentator in this blog. Recently, I was talking to a businessman Joe Fake. His companies of providing iron bars for cages. Return is guaranteed at 500%. Send him money via bitcoin. He will send you money back.
BTW: the Nigerian Prince has sent the money. Don’t worry it is in the mail.
[LOL: I hope Joe Fake is not a real person. I would hate for Allen the Mark to actually contact him.]
@GaryLeff,
I have not found any documentation that this move involved directly anyone within the current Administration.
The decision involves the fact that the people who are supposed to be investigating applicants are being deliberately blocked from obtaining information about applicants.
Sources within DHS say, in contrast, that this was done because the law, as written within the regulations concerning the vetting involved with Global Entry, cannot be correctly followed while being blocked
The usual anti-Trump sources seem to be lining up characterizing this as something orchestrated by the embodiment of Evil Himself, who happens to reside in the White House.
Had there been an alternative resident in the White House, there is little question that the New York legislature would have not passed this law in any way or form, which was signed as part of the generalized Trump Derangement Syndrome that has overtaken both coasts since November 2016.
Trump’s greatest failing in some minds is having the arrogance of getting elected.
Before anyone starts railing about Racism, hope you realize you actually know NOTHING about who might be writing this paragraph.
docntx,
Trump’s own picked acting head of DHS is directly involved in this policy of denying GE (and some other TTP) applications from NY residents. The Trump Admin even gave Fox News a heads up about this Trump Admin policy change being put in place against NY residents before informing the entire rank and file of CBP people involved in GE reviews and “interviews”.
The Trump Admin unilaterally decided to make NY residents and the GE/TTP applicants into pawns and cannon fodder and make this Global Entry (and some other TTP) policy change.
@ Liz. You must be a NYC renter. I suggest you learn about property taxes, which arm of government collects them and where they are used. As you have stated a fact, you are 100% incorrect.
@GuWonder
1) Do you think it is ok for New York State to unilaterally deny access to DHS to their DMV records? Something the DHS had access to prior to December 2019.
2) How do you know that DHS has access to all the information they need to approve an applicant for Trusted Traveler status without the need for the DMV records? You suggest that they do, yet you haven’t backed up any of your statements with any facts.
3) If New York wanted to protect undocumented immigrants who applied for licenses, why couldn’t they just provide access to their DMV records for those applicants who are not? It seems to me that New York just did this to pick a fight with DHS.
You talk a lot but don’t provide facts to back up your assertions.
@Gary Leff
As a frequent traveler, you should know better that in no other country, an illegal can legally get a driving license. People like you are the reason why NY, CA, IL, WA and NJ are messed up states worse than most corrupt countries.
On one hand, you have no problem when your state politicians blatantly disregard the laws of the land that includes immigration but you have serious displeasure and problem when the federal government says NO to such blatant disregard to the laws of the land.
Either you are here for law or against the law.
@BlackHill – I’m not offering any discussion of the policy to offer drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants
I think that including undocumented immigrants in society is probably better than not doing so, I think that this discussion between Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush is fairly on point:
https://youtu.be/YsmgPp_nlok
Reagan and GWBush (and his son too) were people who have loved America at least as much or more than they loved themselves; and they weren’t petty narcissists eager to go on the verbal attack for any and every comment or insinuation sent their way that wasn’t sycophantic. Trump is a very different person and President than Reagan and the Bush Presidents. Trump is a narcissist who loves himself more than he loves the country, the US Constitution and the rule of law; and he wants to be able to get away behaving as badly or worse than that grandson of Lenin and Stalin’s chef who had now been running Russia for nearly two decades (aka Putin).