Immigration lawyer Greg Siskind reports that US citizens who are dual citizens with one of the 7 countries from the ‘not a Muslim ban’ Executive Order are having Global Entry revoked.
The ironic thing, of course, is that the individuals who will have their US entry slowed (and if they received TSA PreCheck via Global Entry, presumably their airport security screening slowed) and that Global Entry is extreme vetting. You don’t just provide fingerprints and your full travel history, you receive a background check including criminal background check and an in-person interview.
What’s more, someone may have had the status for 5 years and done nothing harmful or dangerous in that time.
Copyright: prestonia / 123RF Stock Photo
To be fair, the government hasn’t explained that this is what they’re doing. There’s apparently a big uptick in these Global Entry revocations, and multiple examples of revocations of dual citizens who hold US citizenship and citizenship from one of the 7 banned countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
Plenty of snowflake readers who support the executive order have complained about reading contrary viewpoints, but this is fundamentally about travel. It’s not just about who can travel here, about what citizens are going through as they enter the country or proceed through airport security, but will also affect how others travel abroad and run into reciprocity restrictions that other nations might put into place. This is very much developing, and I believe important to keep track of.
(HT: @ananth_tk)
What is a snowflake reader?
Nevermind I see it is an overly sensitive person. I would think those are all the people dancing in the streets, not the people who voted in a person based on his platform which is now being implemented. (Finally someone in Washington who does what they say)
snowflake readers??? Gary, are you for real????WTF
how does the govt know if someone is a dual citizen?
Completely agree with you Gary. These are people who have already been very well vetted indeed. I think basically the administration is making decisions by the seat of its pants with little if any grounding in law or common sense.
Snowflake = “too emotionally vulnerable to cope with views that challenge their own”
It began with the alt-right to characterize the left, but I’m appropriating here because criticisms of my “forays into politics” have seemed to come from the right [although most long-term readers think of me as being more on the right oddly enough].
Anyone from those countries who gained us citizenship are obligated to revoke their previous citizenship. How are they dual Nationals?
“To be fair, the government hasn’t explained that this is what they’re doing.”
To be fair, I don’t think the government actually has any idea what they are doing….. 🙂
Alt Right Gone Wild
It is 100% possible to be a dual citizen, @G. Heck I have family members with dual citizenship. Not every country even acknowledges renouncing..
Many Arab countries grant citizenship to anyone whose father was a citizen and usually it can’t be renounced. It would be possible for someone to be a dual citizen without ever having been to the country.
That said, I doubt the US would know about the other person’s citizenship if they never bothered to follow up with it.
It’s about time we abolish dual-citizenship altogether.
Isn’t it time to abolish the antiquated notion of dual citizenship? A reality that by definition requires a dual loyalty — to America and another Country X?
And if not, then shouldn’t Americans — citizens of the only country in the world built not on an ethnic identity but an idea — have the right to vote in every other country on the globe?
No one in America should be allowed to hold dual citizenship — anywhwere.
If you want to come to America — come. Legally.
And when your hand goes up to take the oath of American citizenship — hand in the passport of your country of origin.
Libbies own the snowflake moniker, nice try. You snowflakes sure are wound up about more extreme vetting of Iranians and Yemenis. Non-citizens outside this country have zero constitutional rights, so the activist judge holds will not last.
Doesn’t it make sense to have more controls in place for people coming from countries that even the Obama administration identified as areas where terrorists are being harbored or sponsored? Get over yout temper tantrum, we get that you dislike Trump, but you’re acting like petulant children now.
@daniel – it’s not that simple e.g. http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2017/01/ambiguities-dual-citizenship.html
A co-worker of ours lost his Global Entry today. Good job USA.
Thank you, Gary, for continuing to cover this emerging issue quite even-handedly. The substance, the implementation, and the effects matter to many travelers.
@Gary, since your article says it’s next to impossible to renounce citizenship and mentions Iran. Here is how you renounced Iranian Citizenship
http://www.mfa.gov.ir/index.aspx?fkeyid=&siteid=3&pageid=24718
Every single nation has a way to renounce citizenship but before you renounce they definitely want to check what crimes you did and you pay for your crime.
For a matter of fact, I did renounce my country of origin citizenship as soon as I became US citizen.
You cannot show loyalty to 2 different countries just like how you can’t be loyal to 2 spouses at the same time.
@Daniel – is a girl who came here at age 5 supposed to return to Iran at age 18 to renounce?
A requirement to renounce foreign citizenship in order to obtain US benefits — since renouncing means following specific procedures outlined by a foreign goverment — makes receipt of US benefits subject to foreign law. That seems like a bad idea to me.
@Daniel, Parents/guardians do.
I’m sure the 5 year old girl did not go to US embassy and applied refugee/immigrant visa by herself.
What if someone commits heinous crime in their country of origin and became citizen here. What chances of that personal committing similar crime here?
I like snowflakes.
I am traveling back to the US from Vietnam in about two hours.
Dual national of US and Iran, born in the US with global entry.
Have already been flagged for SSSS without ever leaving Vietnam. Have never had the SSSS issue before.
Fortunately or unfortunately everything has a requirement. Be it selling a house or divorcing a spouse.
@Daniel you do realize if you make US benefits subject to judgment and ruling of a foreign government, THAT is what could create dual loyalty or blackmail potential..?
@Sam you know that no 2 snowflakes are alike?
I’m sorry @Robert and good luck in your travels!
@Daniel and folks with Global Entry have already met the requirements..
Learning about the twists and turns of an issue like holding dual citizenship makes posts like these valuable (and legit – thanks Gary!).
Learning about the twists and turns of an issue like holding dual citizenship makes the simple minded thinking and acts coming from the Trump White House more and more scary.
@Daniel: Argentina doesn’t allow you to renounce to their citizenship. No way to do it. I’m sure there are other countries out there with the same restrictions.
@Angel,
Dual nationals are only recognised as Argentine citizens within Argentine territory, and must enter Argentina using an Argentine passport, except when visiting for fewer than 90 days, in which case they can enter using their foreign passport.
The only way to lose citizenship is to personally renounce it before an Argentine judge, who decides on the request’s approval or rejection.
@Gary,
I did not suggest requesting US benefits subject to foreign government. That’s precisely the reason why I stated.
“when your hand goes up to take the oath of American citizenship — hand in the passport of your country of origin”
A large number, if not the majority, of dual citizens are dual citizens by virtue of being born in one country to parents from another country whose laws grant citizenship to children born abroad. See Cruz, Ted.
They are not naturalized, and they have no obligation to renounce anything.
Such stupidity has taken over our government. My heart surgeon one of the best in the world was born in Iran and most likely could not travel to an overseas conference with these new regulations because he would get stranded outside the country. He saves lives everyday in the U.S. and now we’re basically telling him he’s not welcome. All we’re going to do is push these brilliant people (who we do want) to countries like Canada who appreciate their brilliance and contribution. Trump is in such a hurry to deliver on his campaign promises that he is willing to create chaos around the world and could care less. This is not going to make us safe and quite frankly I’m avoiding travel to Europe unless it’s absolutely necessary.
[TRIGGER WARNING]
@Gary
While some snowflakes can’t stand to hear criticism of their beloved Drumpf, the rest of us have respect for the Constitution and the underlying values that created this nation, spelled out both in the Declaration of Independence and conveyed on the Statue of Liberty.
George W Bush didn’t push to ban Muslims after 9/11. To the contrary, he reached out for their help:
—–
I also want to speak tonight directly to Muslims throughout the world. We respect your faith. It’s practiced freely by many millions of Americans and by millions more in countries that America counts as friends. Its teachings are good and peaceful, and those who commit evil in the name of Allah blaspheme the name of Allah.
The terrorists are traitors to their own faith, trying, in effect, to hijack Islam itself.
The enemy of America is not our many Muslim friends. It is not our many Arab friends.
—–
I guess the much beloved GWB was actually just another pinko commie!
Dear Drumpists. he world of travel is inherently one of inclusion and openness. If you can’t handle that, crawl back into your safe space and turn up the echo chamber.
Good on you for calling a spade, a spade, Gary.
These commenters supporting Trump are delusional.
@Daniel: That was an option (not always granted) but in 2009 a judge ruled that unconstitutional. You can read (in Spanish) the ruling here: http://www.migraciones.gov.ar/prensa/noticias/No%20se%20puede%20renunciar%20a%20la%20nacionalidad,%20DyN,%2008-03-09.htm
That’s the official immigration website.
You can also read it here in English: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_nationality_law
I don’t see such issues when most Muslim countries won’t let people enter if they have Israeli passport stamps. At least that is pure hate instead of trying to just keep people from entering our country when they are from countries that are listed as terrorist hosts or supporters.
Well, as somebody who recently got “SSSS’d” due to a brief Istanbul visit (and, yes, I have Global Entry), I know all about seemingly arbitrary immigration hassles. That said, the only people who are supposed to qualify for Global Entry are “low risk” travelers. I personally don’t think it’s unreasonable that, say, dual citizens from Syria should say “hello” to an immigration officer when they arrive back in the USA. It’s certainly less hassle than I got with my several TSA “gropings” after Istanbul.
It is really incredible that they are revoking GE to citizens because they hold passports to another country. There is talk that later this week they are going to start rounding up legal immigrants in the US for deportation if they think they might apply for public assistance or some sort of nonsense. Unfortunately, it seems like we are moving towards the early days of Nazi Germany. The stuff that is being talked about goes well beyond keeping the country safe and is venturing into the territory of outright bigotry.
@Daniel First off your post is totally ignorant. Did you stop to think about the fact that people who come here may still have family back in their home country? Maybe they come from a country that its not easy or cheap to travel to on a US passport and their family can’t get a visa to come here. Did that possibility even cross your mind? By the way good luck with that no dual citizenship idea. A large number of jewish politicians hold dual citizenship with Israel. I doubt you will get the republicans to tell Israel to shove off.
@Bill… Just FYI, Israel is not on the list so even if someone has duel citizenship with both a U.S. & Israeli passport they can still use Global Entry. For now I believe it only affects duel citizens from the 7 countries on the list. What I find fascinating is that Turkey, Saudi Arabia & The UAE were left off the list and they are where most of the terrorists have come from or come through. These are places with major Trump business ties. I avoid Istanbul like the plague.
Well alas this could have been avoided but people didn’t want to vote for Trump’s opponent so we’re stuck with this moron. Hope everyone is happy.
@Daniel – you’re missing the point. in order to “hand in your citizenship” it has to follow procedures of a foreign government. if you need to prove you’ve done so, you need cooperation for acknowledgment of a foreign government. so you’d have the US subjecting people to foreign law. and those foreign governments could extract things from people in exchange for providing the acknowledgment (creating the dual loyalty you worry about).
Daniel – that implies that the country you’re giving the passport in from would acknowledge that. Many don’t. Try reading before running your mouth.
[vile personal attack removed – GL]
@DaninMCI
The issue you raised has everything to do with politics and not religion. Now stop watching Fox news.
I was born in Iran but I do not have an Iranian passport and I have not been there since I was a child. Does this include me?
I do not have a dual citizenship as far as I know. I only have a US passport.
This is ridiculous. I have relatives in Iran who were finally about to leave the hateful Islamic country invented by the CIA and Americans (Carter) in 1979.
The same islamic government that Reagan sold weapons to and benefited from the Iran-Iraq war. The US gave weapons to Iraq as well, so they could kill and massacre millions of Iranians with chemical weapons and rape innocent children. The US invented this Islamic nastiness in Iran. They got tired of the Shah as he was too powerful and he was leading Iran towards a more independent country as he did not want to sell his oil for cheap to the US. So, Cia got rid of him.
The US has been supporting the crazy Mollah’s. Do you think Iranians (%60 percent of the 70 million is under the age of 30) want this Islamic government?
Now, many of them want to leave, including my relatives who have been working tirelessly to get a USA visa and escape the Islamic dictatorship and now they have to suffer.
Wonder politics of USA!
Now, as an American (I only know how to be an American since I was brought up here) is revoking my own rights as a citizen!
Even Moslems in Iran can not stand the government. Has anyone heard of the Green Movement?
Iranians were not Moslems to begin with. Iranians are mostly Persian (an Aryan race) not Arab!
There are Azari’s in Iran, Kurds, Armenians, Jews, Turkmen, Christians and etc…
There are no Terrorists coming from Turkey or UAE by the way, perhaps Saudi Arabia!
For those of you opposed to dual citizenship – Melania Trump is a dual citizen.
This is a travel blog.
Without free movement of people there is very little travel.
Free movement is OUR CORE VALUE.
If you oppose free movement you don’t belong in a travel community.
@David,
You post is exactly the reason why we need extreme vetting. All over you post, you have been accusing US of various hatred related issues. If you have such a negative opinion of US. Why come here and live here? Why don’t you go to a country that accepts bad mouthing about the very country that you live in.
@Bill, Stop name calling. You are wrong about almost everything you said. Holder of GC aka Green Card are not citizens. Learn the basics. One only becomes citizen after naturalization.GC’s legal permanent residents. Thy do not have rights to vote. They can live here as long as their GC is valid and work here.
I have relatives of other countries but that does not give an excuse that they should be allowed here without proper vetting process.
40 plus refugees who came during Bush and Obama administration are CONVICTED of terrorism and terrorist related activities. That’s shows why we need proper vetting process unlike what we had earlier.
To do that This Trump administration is asking refugees or people on other visa from those 7 countries to bare temporary inconvenience.
How can that be wrong??
@thanks
I’m sorry but there is nothing called “free movement”. You cannot go from one country to another without immigration. That’s the basic you need to learn as a traveler. And that immigration changes from time to time. I’m sure you might have noticed if you traveled across different countries.
I have never committed any crime nor am I’m a terrorist. Why should I go through security check and inconvenience myself? is it not because to ensure a safe travel for all of us. Similarly this temporary inconvenience is to make us all safe here in this very country.
@Daniel What’s a proper vetting process? Do you even know what the current vetting process is for refugees?
The worst terrorist attack in my lifetime was perpetrated by citizens from Saudi Arabia and The UAE yet they are not even part of this travel ban. Over the past 12 months multiple terrorist attacks have taken place on Turkish soil including the Istanbul airport. Turkey is loaded with extremists yet they are not included in this ban. If we’re going to use safety as the reason for a travel ban then we should be including all countries where terrorists have been known to exist. It’s interesting that the countries left off the list all have have major business interests of the Trump Organization. This is why it’s more important than ever that we understand the business dealings and conflicts of our White House and president through their tax returns. I don’t think this is unreasonable. It’s certainly no more unreasonable than banning green card holders who went through years of vetting to obtain their green cards.
@ Daniel
It might be helpful if you studied some facts. That is if you think that security decisions should be logical and evidence based rather than based on prejudice, fear-mongering, and misinformation (“alternative facts”).
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/01/trump-immigration-ban-terrorism/514361/
Incidentally, when you go through the Global Entry process you declare whether or not you have dual citizenship.
I made a special trip from Australia to US soil to be interviewed after the initial background checks. During the interview the officer cross checks your declared travel history, no doubt almost other more extensive checks. You are subjected to whatever security checks that the administration deems to be fit for purpose. Gary is right – you have already been extensively checked! Global Entry also endows TSA PreCheck in recognition that you have been assessed as low security risk.
I am a dual citizen having been born in the UK and migrated to Australia and hold USA Global Entry by virtue of my UK Passport. In over 25 years this has never put me in a position of compromise (except perhaps at an international sports fixture such as an England-Australia cricket match!). I am not going to relinquish my UK citizenship given family back in the UK (and the opportunity to work in EEC counties if I ever chose to pending Brexit).
Please consider that the more you cower in fear, support decisions which are logically delusional, and use the excuse of security to foster division and paranoia, the more the terrorists have achieved their very goal.
In your position I would have concerns about the love / hate attitude of tRump towards the intelligence agencies and the downgrading of the role of the military chiefs of staff on the NSC, amongst other issues. I would expect the government to move away from oil dependency and stop selling arms to volatile regions to distance from the various foreign policy disasters (which clearly isn’t going too happen with the coal / oil industries and the defence industries pulling the strings). But, hey, it’s your country not mine and if your current social-political milieu continues to descend into chaos all I need to do is to divert my mid-year vacation from the US to Europe!
The crazy thing about the travel ban is that all people from the “ban” countries have already been through “extreme vetting”. Almost all Iranians in the US loathe their government and just want to pursue a better life in the US. The blanket ban is a finger in the eye to the Obama and Bush administrations who carried out vetting already. What sort of vetting processes does the Trump administration think it can implement that haven’t been implemented already, especially since those whose job it is to screen visa applicants have not even been consulted about this? It is also a finger in the eye to all of these people who played by the rules and went through a lot of trouble to come to America to seek a better life. Revoking global entry for already vetted US citizens just like anybody else only because of original nationality and not because of probable cause also must violate the constitution’s equal protection clause. These are US citizens that are treated differently because of something that they have no control over – their place of birth.
They’re revoking from people BEYOND the 7 countries – i have 2 friends originally from Pakistan, both now US citizens who had it revoked in the last 2 weeks.
lol global entry should have never been given out to a dual national from a terrorist country to begin with. This is just a correction that should have been made a long time ago. They are still allowed to enter and leave the us, they just need to speak to a customs / immigration agent on the way back in. Instead of blaming the us maybe you should blame the offending countries for being third world hell holes that allow jihadi training camps to operate freely.