Tag Archives for immigration.
Bali immigration officials are warning influencers that sponsored posts, comped hotel stays, brand collaborations and content shoots can count as work—not tourism. The island’s new immigration patrol is even using social media posts as evidence, meaning the same Bali reel meant to promote a villa or beach club could become proof of a visa violation.
Flying to Europe this summer may mean more than crowded airports and packed flights. Europe’s new biometric border checks are creating hours-long immigration lines at some airports, with travelers missing connecting flights on arrival and returning flights as first-time registration overwhelms passport control.
DHS officials reportedly told airline leaders last week that they are serious about pulling Customs officers from airports tied to sanctuary cities after the World Cup. That would not just punish local politicians — it could cripple international flights at JFK, LAX, O’Hare, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Denver, Newark and more, hitting lawful travelers, cargo, airlines and the national economy.
Thailand immigration officials are warning travelers not to buy VIP airport fast track services online, saying paid immigration shortcuts do not exist and may be scams.
ICE agents deployed to airports during the government shutdown are now expected to get access behind checkpoints without the SIDA badges normally required for unescorted entry into secure areas. That means bypassing the fingerprinting, background checks, and training airport workers usually need — a move that could weaken the challenge-and-report culture airports rely on to keep secure areas secure.
A woman was detained by immigration authorities at San Francisco International Airport late Sunday night, and video of the scene is now being widely miscast as part of the new ICE deployment to airport checkpoints. It was not
ICE agents are now showing up at airport checkpoints, but they are not the same as TSA screeners — ICE agents are law enforcement officers, while TSA checkpoint staff generally are not. That changes your rights.
A woman crossing the U.S. border from Mexico was detained by Customs and Border Protection after facial recognition software repeatedly failed to match her current appearance to her passport photo taken 10 years earlier. Officers claimed her eyes looked “more open” in her old picture, leaving her locked in a secure room and repeatedly questioned before finally being allowed to leave without explanation.
Minneapolis has refused to renew liquor licenses for two hotels accused of housing ICE agents, igniting a political and legal controversy. Despite warnings from the city’s own attorney about potential illegality, the city council moved forward—highlighting deep tensions around immigration enforcement and local government intervention.
ICE is using a smartphone app called “Mobile Fortify” to scan faces and capture contactless fingerprints, instantly pulling back names and biographical data — and court filings say the same encounters are being followed by revocations of Global Entry and TSA PreCheck.
That turns “trusted traveler” into chilling of speech. DHS runs both the surveillance and the program, and being “under investigation” can be enough to lose your status even if protesting itself cannot legally be a disqualifier.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
