The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency is proposing to require that all passengers on flights in and out of the United States provide:
- A U.S. address
- Two phone numbers (!)
- An email address
Anyone that does not or cannot comply with this rule would be denied boarding. Airlines would be allowed to keep the information for their own purposes. And they would be permitted, and in some cases required, to share it with foreign governments as well. The regulatory comments docket (“Advance Passenger Information System: Electronic Validation of Travel Documents”) on this proposal closes tonight.
The purpose of the rule is described as “enabl[ing] CBP to determine whether each passenger is traveling with valid authentic travel documents prior to the passenger boarding the aircraft.” This is something that they do today already.
It’s unclear who would be stopped that poses a threat now, though the travel rights of American citizens and others would be burdened. Instead it effectively imposes a travel document requirement on Americans that isn’t provided for in law, and outsources control over travelers to airlines that the agency cannot statutorily impose on its own.
And by attempting to match U.S. addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses that exist on a person in a government or private contracted database with those on file with travel documents, there are going to be mismatches because those databases often contain errors. (It’s why ChatGPT thinks I have two degrees from MIT, it confuses my schooling with that of a different Gary Leff.)
By the way, how is an asylum seeker supposed to provide their U.S. address prior to boarding a flight? That forces asylum seekers to take other, more dangerous, routes to get here. It is a very bad idea.
Most people don’t have two phone numbers. How is that supposed to work?
What is this nonsense with two phone numbers? I am sure many people only have one — their cell. I happen to have two cells, but that is unusual. Rather like the requirement in many US embassies to provide two ID documents. Well, since I was not planning to drive in Mexico, I could well have left my license at home. Fortunately forgot to remove it from my wallet. Do the people who make these rules ever test them out on real people befor the famous rollout?
I have a number of questions:
1. Many people, US citizens or otherwise, have only 1 phone number, their cell phone. Where do they get a 2nd number from?
2. What does a foreign visitor do for an address if they are with a tour group? Provide the address of the tour company or address of each hotel on the tour?
3. Why have we not heard of this sooner? Is this a belated April Fools joke?
4. What does a person do for their return overseas if they were just visiting a friend. There will be no matching address database as it will be in someone else’s name.
I’m sure there will be many more questions to ask unless this is a belated April Fool’s joke on someone’s part.
The US tourism
This isn’t about stopping terrorists. It’s about collecting data on Americans who travel overseas.
Agree on the phone numbers – I did away with my land line years ago and am retired so no work number. I have a cell number. Am I supposed to give them my wife’s as the other number? Hopefully some reason prevails or they may force people to get a second number (cheap burner probably) just in order to fly. What BS. Also, in or out of the country you have to show a passport (and visa if applicable) which certainly seems like enough validation.
More control efforts from the left. This is social conditioning at its lowest form. Imagine if they would just use something like this with our southern border.
Presumably a traveler without a landline (or even a mobile; there are such people) could fill in a hotel phone number, or the number for friends / relations they intend to stay with. But the requirement is unwieldy and ridiculous, and is bound to provoke retaliatory ridiculousness from other countries, making all of our lives more difficult.
@Richard – not sure this is left or right just over zealous bureaucrats. FYI it may not help but I just sent a summary of the issue along with a link to the article Gary provided to one of my US Senators who I have worked with in the past to resolve issues. May not help but suggest people also notify their representatives. I’m not sure what role Congress has in stopping something like this but I feel better that it has at least been escalated. BTW, my Senator and his staff are very diligent about follow up so at least I think there will be some review on their part.
Does my Google internet phone number work?
@ Richard Brose Take that partisan MAGA garbage somewhere else. It makes you people look unbalanced, working it into every single conversation. There should be a blocking function here.
That’s what we do now anyway….. we have to give email, an address ( usually a hotel ) and 2 phone numbers, i being mobile and 1 for the hotel or place we are staying. I wonder if they will bring these requirements in on the southern border? 5,000,000 illegals ( that they know of ) since Sleepy Joe took over, what a disgrace he is, what an embarrassment he is and what a shame Americans let this happen, apparently. Maybe they could focus on getting more Immigration Officers at major US International Airports. Last Tuesday I came in to IAD at 14.00. I arrived at my airport hotel at 18.00. 3 hours in a queue, 2 officers serving the great unwashed.
Thanks, @Richard. I was waiting to see how long it was before someone tried to blame liberals for policies created by career government employees who work for multiple administration regardless of political affiliation.
This kind of crazy paranoia began after 9/11. I agree that this is overkill but, in a society where we have no issue posting nearly all of our personal data on-line I’m not sure what all the fuss is about. If anyone thinks the government can’t track you today I’ll have some of what you’re smoking.
212-555-1212
Problem solved. Let’s move on.
A terrible idea (and I’m on the left). Everybody, please go to the link Gary gave and fill out a comment form. I don’t know why this is so late in getting here, normally we’d have a month but today is the deadline. Use it!
AC,
Thanks, every bit helps and we have been doing the same. Last week one day before our return from San Miguel, we received an email from AA stating we would not be able to board unless we verified online forms. This was a total of four times round trip, including re-downloading our passports.
I’m surprised and outraged that Gary would make any mention of refugees. I agree with Richard Brose, the app isn’t enough. Ask for 3 or 4 phone numbers and toeprints of all 10 toes (no exception for amputees even if they’re US Senators) at the Southern Border.
About the only Senators who have pushed back on these sorts of encroachments have been Ron Wyden (left!) and Rand Paul (not left!). Do you think Tom Cotton (Republican!) opposes this? Or Dianne Feinstein (Democrat)?
Both the left and right ‘within the parties’ have been mostly in lock step, and concerns raised haven’t been along partisan lines.
Let’s make a deal. I’ll start providing this as soon as they require same from all the illegals coming into the country.
Absolute nonsense. If this rolls out, let’s just see how long it lasts.
HOW ARE THEY GOING VERIFY THE PHONE NUMBERS?
Grimly25,
Way to go, Saul Alinsky is looking up and nodding!
No, this is not an April Fools Day joke. The CBP proposal was published in the Federal Register in February:
https://papersplease.org/wp/2023/02/06/cbp-proposes-to-require-even-more-information-from-international-air-travelers/
As for email…… create a google email just for this purpose. I created a gmail account just for junk mail. Sparky mentioned a google phone number. Create one with the gmail account created for this purpose. And if you create a junk email account, create a google number for that too.
As for address…. they may already have it if you used it for your driver’s license or had a passport sent to your home. Or, if they specifically as for your current address, and you are sitting in a coffee shop while filling it our, give them your “current address” .
This begs the question: What about those who don’t do e mail? And those who have only one phone number? Or will there be an iron curtain for those people?
@ Dale Give the number of the hotel where you’re staying, the friend you’re crashin with, or the airline you’re flying for that matter. Give them the Empire Carpet number: 800-588-2300. Fill in the Dominos Pizza takeout number nearest your home. Give them the fax number at your workplace or the front desk number in your apartment building. It’s not like anyone’s going to check.
It’s risible that anyone would think this is an agenda from people of the left wing of politics. Clearly an idiot with no understanding of history of the right. This information gathering is fascist. Only an ignorant dumb assed American would this this is left wing driven. Talking to you Dick Brose! Ffs
@Tom – They *are* going to check, and if whatever info you give them doesn’t match whatever they have in their files about you (or a data broker has in its files), they will “recommend” that the airline not allow you to board your flight. See the CBP proposal here:
https://www.regulations.gov/document/USCBP-2023-0002-0001
As the Identity Project says in our comments:
https://papersplease.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/IDP-APIS-comments-3APR2023.pdf
The ostensible purpose of the proposed rule is to enable CBP to determine, prior to departure of a flight, whether an airline passenger or crew member is traveling with a valid, authentic, travel document. But requiring travelers to provide an address in the U.S., an email address, and/or two phone numbers will do nothing to authenticate or validate any documents.
If CBP attempts to “authenticate” travel documents by comparing information provided by travelers with information in either government or commercial databases, it is likely that legitimate travelers will provide information that is deemed “incorrect” because it doesn’t match the information in those databases. Identity thieves, on the other hand, who have obtained information from those databases, are more likely than legitimate travelers to be able to provide APIS contact information matching whatever is in those government or commercial records.
As a document “validation” methodology, collection of this additional information for purposes of comparison with government or commercial databases would be less than useless.
I find it very interesting when the loons on the left get exercised when someone says something that they don’t like. Can’t imagine being around that ilk. Thin skinned? You bet they are!
This requirement for two phone numbers is insanity from the current US administration. What intern thought this up?
Most “asylum seekers” are liars that could have stayed in a dozen other countries anyway. So no big deal on that.
Just go to Google and get a free Google phone number. Easy Peasy
The two phone numbers requirement has generated a lot of response. As stated by GL, the passenger has to give two phone numbers – that does not say the passenger’s two phone numbers. Maybe for a passenger with only one, he or she could provide the phone number of a relative, etc.
Or just walk across the border with no phone numbers, us address email or covid documents and get a free domestic flight etc.
What a drag on US flyers!
It’s insanity! As US citizens traveling out of or into the US must have a passport and they have our address, email and phone numbers from our application for the privilege of having a passport. Truly makes no sense. Who is the genius that authored this?
There is no legal requirement to have a phone and phone number, so there are probably some Americans who don’t have a phone number at the time of booking an international trip.
These power-hungry, “you’re suspicious if we want you to be” government law enforcement types and private sector enablers want to have massive social network surveillance mapping capabilities in play and this is par for such course. And those law-abiding types who are “different” may be wrongly hassled for being “different”.
And yet the Biden Regime has no problem with thousands walking across the border every day with no phone at all.
And what about some elderly people who haven’t gotten with the times? It’s unlikely such a person would be traveling alone but I could easily picture a parent who lives with their children and doesn’t have an e-mail. I have a SIL that AFIAK still does not have an e-mail and she has visited the US with a more savvy sibling.
Just because 99% of people will have no problem with this (assuming the # of where you are going is acceptable for one of the numbers) doesn’t mean it won’t trip up some people. And another group that could be tripped up: Those that enter the US to engage in long distance hiking–it’s possible to cross the border and immediately head out, your first-night location would be the name of the trail you’re on–but trails don’t have phone numbers.
Last September when I was returning from Poland, upon checking in at Krakow, I was told I needed to provide my US address. I’m British, but a Permanent Resident. Gave the person my Virginia drivers license and replied that the address was old and if he wanted the new one. He said it didn’t matter.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Fly into northern Mexico and walk across the border. No one cares down there ..
Address? When I travel overseas I never ever have an address. I wonder around for months on end. That’s the whole point of travel…to TRAVEL
That is absolutely ridiculous. The only people I know who have two phones, specifically a burner phone and a cell phone are either criminals or spouses who are cheating.. the only other people have two phones are senior citizens who have a landline.Under existing US law proof positive ID is an American passport.. sometimes USA customs officials will also ask for your driver’s license.Full stop. That being said, when I travel to certain countries I have to fill out a form indicating where I’m staying and how long I’ll be staying including Canada.When I go to Hawaii I must indicate on the agricultural formwhere I’m staying. However, neither the Hawaii form nor any foreign forms require two telephone numbers. That is and would be ridiculous. Mexico now has electronic entry and only scanning your passport at an entry point and does not require any advanced notice of phone numbers or addresses. An American passport suffices. Takes less than 5 minutes to get through customs. They also no longer have red light green light of searches of luggage and only occasionally will ask randomly some people for an inspection of their luggage. There is no longer any customs form given to anybody entering Mexico. The United Kingdom also has electronic pass through customs where you just scan your passport.. first time I did it I actually thought that somehow I had avoided going through customs. actually gives you the feeling of borderless travel as I have experienced when traveling in the European Union.
@warren trout:
> Address? When I travel overseas I never ever have an address. I wonder around for months on end.
These days most people will have an address in mind where they plan to stay the night even if they plan to move around after that. I actually have entered many countries with no planned address–but that was pre-internet, my parents found airport resources for finding lodging worked better than what was available outside the country. Now I can see no reason for such an approach–did it once on a road trip and had it backfire. We pulled into town–and discovered basically the entire city was no vacancy. We ended up driving two more hours to find a place to sleep.
Real Right Wing Republicans obviously oppose this as we don’t support giving government power over our lives and giving bureaucrats more control over us. This will of course be used against us and never for us. Yes, this is already done with verification but it adds another layer and level of bureaucracy. Unfortunately, very few real Republicans are in congress or positions of power. They are nearly all rinos. Both parties are owned and controlled by the same people. The media, academia, and even the travel blogging industry are controlled by the same people.
The last line about asylum seekers not having an address is a really poor argument against this because we have enough fake economic illegals who abuse the asylum process and then disappear when their case is called. If this would only be used to stop illegals and fake asylum seekers, this wouldn’t be a bad policy but just like with the patriot act, drug laws, or pretty much every law it only hurts freedom loving people. It also hurts socialists as well.
How many people’s 2nd number will be 1-900-MIXALOT?
@Richard Brose : “woke…cancel culture…virtue signaling…culture war…Saul Alinsky…blah, blah, blah.”
This is what happens because in our country the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of government — regardless of major political party in the country — tend to have a knee-jerk response to the wishes of the CBP, a response of supporting the CBP. That and the public tend to so easily feel insecure that there is a general tendency of the public and their representatives to support or provide cover to the authoritarian tendencies of law enforcement.
Think of the dollars wasted when they match every second number back to Jenny at 867-5309
Not a few of us live overseas as expats and have not a US driver’s license nor US residence nor US phone number. So, I’m obliged to give my daughter’s home address, her phone number and then, I guess, my sister’s phone number or that of my wife’s friend. What’s next?
Some live outside the US as expatriates and have no US residence, driver’s license or phone number. So, on the rare occasion when I return I’ll be obliged to give my daughter’s home address, her mobile number and now my sister or wife’s friend’s mobile number. What next?
Doesn’t really take all that much effort to create a throwaway email address or phone number. You can do either relatively quickly, and phone numbers change hands so often they can’t really be used to authenticate anything reliably. Same applies to addresses. Isn’t all that hard. None of this is secure and like the people that proposed this idiocy it is entirely outdated and meaningless to any person determined to bypass it.
It just gets worse and worse in this upside down crazy banana republic of a country … how did we get here in the link of an eye. Like others – let’s implement this at our southern and northern border.where it is desperately needed – let’s focus on the real issue and stop tracking and collecting data on US citizens and legal residents!!!
This is all about controlling the “lemmings”.
John Smith,
More often than not, “throwaway phone numbers” and “throwaway email addresses” create a trail more useful for surveillance and investigative purposes by the USG and select USG contractors than most people realize. And even the relative absence of history for a supplied phone number or email address can create a problem for some government targets and applicants of government services, including immigration services. Additionally, note that any supplied address provided could be used to target a cross-border traveler. Already there is quite the list — and growing at that of people whose Global Entry membership applications are rejected or membership revoked because of listed address affiliation with someone else the government/CBP considers to have a problematic history.
They keep chipping away at our freedoms in the name of “security.” Doesn’t matter who is in office or what the law actually is.
This scheme is both nuts and constitutionally outrageous.
So those of us with only one telephone number could not comply with this? Bad idea for many reasons.
Does this mean that a widowed retiree with only a cell phone can’t travel overseas?
Totally insane. I know Noone with two phone numbers. Most of my friends are retired with no work or home phone-only mobile.
Is my passport not good enough?Will I be forced to get a landline?I cannot be the only yearly traveler to Canada whose visits are very important. I need to be aware of new requirements.
who ever vame up with this therory failed to test the model of said theory to evaluate the effectiveness or
affeect of it.
I don’t even have two phone numbers. One cell phone, why would I have two numbers. The USCBP is overstepping their bounds by far here. I travel international all the time. Am I not allowed under these new rules because I can’t supply two phone numbers? Ridiculous
They are trying to stop you escaping from the shit hole. Quick, flee now before it’s too late.
The CBP is so sneaky and even willing to deceive the In countries that they play all their scare-mongering cards even while also including examples that try to insinuate nefarious intent for even clerical incompetence.
The CBP is so sneaky and willing to deceive the public that they play all their scare-mongering cards. That you while also including examples that try to insinuate nefarious intent for that which was clerical incompetence.
This is already being done (3/9) when you leave Mexico. The form was sent and it asked for your name, address and number. I think it listed CDC as requiring the information.
This whole thing reeks of nothing but govt overreach and more control of the masses. It also seems really stupid to require 2 phone numbers. I have 2 phone numbers I could give them (actually 5, each with its own purpose, one is solely for giving to ppl that I dont want to actually speak with to but that I might want to let them leave a voice message or send me a txt) and they are all routed such that I get them on my cell phone. Just like email addresses, anyone can create a temp, fake number. I guess it’s time to create more throwaway phone numbers, email addresses, and a throwaway mailing address. Smdh. Perhaps a good business venture would be to offer all of those to travelers for a small fee?
As a US citizen, I’m happy to provide them with the address, two phone numbers, and an email address associated with the airport terminal I’m arriving in (which is, of course, completely valid, albeit useless, at the time of my arrival). Beyond that, my location and contact information is no one’s business but my own
Sounds like Show me your papers …
[redacted -gl]
So me, as example, returning from ex-pat status in the Philippines must provide a non-existent address? Two non-existing phones? And if an elder has no email, nor care about it, must provide a non-existing email?
This is a policy carefully planned, with intentional errors in it, to keep people talking and complaining about it, and get you distracted from the real issues and enables covert actors to steal your rights in front of your noses.
Unconstitutional procedures and government regulations. It’s absurd.
Ok, 2nd phone is 312-555-1212 and email is biden@gov.com.
What idiots.
Well I was getting tired of the whinny flight attendants – now we got the MAGA Conspiracy Cult Clowns. On Arrest Day too! Bravo!
@ Sparky Incredible how the incumbent government is simultaneously so dull, slow-witted, and incompetent, it wrecks everything it touches and is utterly incapable of coherent policymaking,, and also so evil-genius diabolical, it’s capable of carefully planning a misdirection campaign with intentional errors in it to craftily distract us all from real issues and enable covert actors to steal your rights in front of your noses.
Why CBP is wasting valuable agency time and resources on this absurd idea is beyond me.
There are a list of 1000+ more pressing issues and programs which can be implemented to better serve the traveling public and ensure safety than this.
LOL! Like the comments say, it really is getting to be a Banana Republic. How does this work when crossing from Mexico to the US? My apologies to anyone reading this . . . my generation is definitely proving NOT to be The Greatest Generation Part Deux (and yes the man currently sitting/sleeping on the Oval Office and I are of the same generation)
Big brother will trample our rights as long as the people allow it. The government has no right to demand ID either, just to assure no weapons are carried aboard planes.
Welcome to the United Soviet States of America
I visited the US recently.
I am sure the ESTA already required the details of my hotel and my phone number.
As the application was done online, they have me email address.
Get a burner.. cost about the same as an airport bought bottle of water…there is your 2nd # !
To increase government weaponization potential against Americans treated as political enemies, to force compliance, silence and submission to the will of the Party. It’s designed for U.S. citizens, not border protection. Democrats pursue totalitarian power enthusiastically and openly with only the barest facade of denial, but the GOP is on board as well, if more discreetly.
What about tourists? They are unlikely to have 2 numbers, unlikely to have a US number at all. The US address will simply be a hotel. What is this likely to achieve?
Don’t believe all the articles on this internet.
Sounds like another attempt to make it harder to leave and come to the USA of you ask me. Yeah I have 2 phone numbers, but why on earth would I give both my personal AND business number out? Most people don’t even have 2 phone numbers and most people also dont want to get dragged into someone’s shenanigans of for whatever odd reason the person trying to travel is stopped. These law makers are becoming more unrealistic each day….good grief.
CBP wants this, and CBP is full of lots of self-professed “conservative” Republicans.
I proudly voted against Trump in November 2016 and again in November 2020, and I too oppose the CBP wishlist being fulfilled.
The big political parties are both CBP kiss-ups.
Aren’t all international travelers arriving in the US—including US citizens and permanent residents—already required to provide a US address… on those paper customs declarations slips? And if you participate in Global Entry or any of the other Trusted Traveler Programs, of course they have your address already.
It’s a good thing that I drive from place to place instead of flying. I have a passport. That is the only information that they are going to get. Oh, excuse me! I forgot that I will be informing these… people about the flaws in their family tree.
Sure, I have 2 phone numbers, but as a tourist/visitor they are not US numbers! A 30 day T-Mobile cell number, and that’s it.
Maybe I should just make up the second one. No-one’s ever going to check.
Can’t really see this new bit of insanity getting off the ground!
Since they already have my PO Box address, it would do little good to bother with things like throw away numbers. I would of course register a Google internet phone number and a couple “travel only” emails, but in the end it wouldn’t make a difference since they already have all our info.
These are just old travel requirements that almost all countries require except a second phone number and the clause that a traveler’s personal information can be shared with authorities of other countries. In fact, countries have been doing this, maybe they just want to remind everyone that they have been doing this.
Big deal. If you live here and are traveling internationally, you should have a personal phone number, a work number, a parent’s number, your significant other’s phone number, at least one friend, a cousin, etc, and a home address. If it’s someone coming into the country, then why are the MAGAts bleating in their posts their mouth breather protests yet again? It’ll keep some people out. Isn’t that what y’all want? You should be celebrating. None of you care one bit about asylum seekers, or any dag gum sneeky feriners anyhoo.
What happens if you have no US address? Let’s say that you have been renting an apartment. Lease runs out on April 30, 2023. You’re flying to Sydney (Australia) to start a new job. Your flight departs on May 01, 2023. You will not have a US address while departing the US or when you return to the US.
The thing the author is worried about is asylum seekers?!?! Good gravy.
I only have one phone number…like most people. How the hell am I supposed to provide a number I don’t own?
I suggest the great people securing our borders do their job first on the Southern “border” where thousands walk over every day without being stopped before they start spying on legal US citizens. Oh, by the way what about deporting the illegals.? We are always told you do not have the resources for that but you have the resources to harass legal citizens ?
My email address? Sure, it is dropdead@dropdead.com
I also have a second email address called noneofyourfnbusiness@noneofyourfnbusiness.com
Second phone number: 666-666-6666
It’s not people coming by plane that are the problem. It’s those that walk or swim to get to the US that should have this attention. More stupid, misguided policies. Here’s my two phone numbers from Google. I don’t check either and can’t be reached, but enjoy.
Most folks only have one phone number, their cell phone. I guess traveling internationally will decline substantially. In addition, the loss of revenue to different countries will decline. Even if this is implemented tmit wouldn’t last long. I believe the US is punishing countries that are no longer using US currency
Will the South Americans crossing the Mexican border have the same rules?
Finish the wall….(mic drop)
@WrongHole:
> It’s not people coming by plane that are the problem. It’s those that walk or swim to get to the US that should have this attention. More stupid, misguided policies. Here’s my two phone numbers from Google. I don’t check either and can’t be reached, but enjoy.
Most people who are here illegally entered legally, they didn’t walk across the border. The wall is a political game, not a meaningful barrier–barriers not backed up by good monitoring for breaches are merely speed bumps, not roadblocks. Are you familiar with the object called a “ladder”?
So if you’re single and don’t have any family, the sec9nd phone number is what, the local Domino’s?
So how many tourists to the US are likely to have two phone numbers with them?
I guess if you are visiting Disney world in Orlando, you’d have to give them Mickey mouse’s number as your second phone number?
This is going to put alot of British tourists off from visiting the US. It seems the US government is cutting its nose off to spite its face.
All totally unnecessary burocracy. The US is already the toughest nation to get into , Even for innocent tourists spending their money and boosting US economy.
The MAGA crowd has really stunk up this conversation. Maybe we should return to whining flight attendants.
Do you think TFG will use Putin as his second number? We know Melania uses Justin Trudeau.
40% of undocumented individuals come to the USA by plane Einstein. The ignorance and hate here. Wow
I am a US citizen living in Mexico and happen to have everything that is needed although my US address is the address of my mail forwarding company, my phone numbers are a Mexican cell phone and a Google voice number. However I have to question why I have to give up my right to privacy in order to visit home?
Like many other laws and regulations that are being considered, it forgets that many elderly that travel, have no email account and only have one phone number (usually a land line).
What an overkill. One would think that a biometric passport would sufice, but that would require commonsense.
Currently traveling to 3 countries in Asia. This was not required when we left the country, now are they saying we have to comply before we can return home?? They already have our passport info and cell.
You get what you vote for.
well, you don’t like, don’t fly.political asylum seekers that come to the border just for economic reasons after passing 3 or 4 countries without applying there.Give me a break
Who has two phone numbers these days. I certainly don’t. Dropped the land line years ago. So can’t fly any more?
The comments here are hilarious. You’d think the CBP does one thing and one thing only. You know they are also responsible for keeping out the actual bad guys, right? You know, the terrorists?
And all of you who are whinging about not having a 2nd phone number? Erm. Sure. You all have only one phone number. So you don’t have a work or business number? And you don’t have an email address? Yup. Right.
Not everyone who flies in and out of the USA wants to come here because they are immigrating from another country. Some people just come here to visit. And then leave.
I only have 1 number. My cell phone
Note that is says “proposing to require ” this is a rule making process. We all have the ability to weigh in on this proposal. It is not automatic. It is likely that the Administration or anyone in congress is not aware of this proposal. Mid level people in department of Homeland Security are trying to meet some objective and propose rules to meet objectives. They are not really concerned about it affect on the traveling public. So the best thing in this situation is to comment on the proposed change via the website. Write your congressman and the administration.
This will help identify visa overstays and, unfortunately, we need to do something to manage the problem better. It stinks that lawbreakers cause the rest of us to give up a little more of our own freedom.
Frequent flier UK to USA. Up till now al I have had to do is give a US address for first night. So I fly in and stay at airport hotel which is my address. After that I travel all over and I have never understood this requirement. I only have one phone so now ,when I fly in ,do I randomly choose a friends address and another friends phone number?
I’m not sure how this system would help prevent undesirables entering the country after all Harry Windsor seemed to dodge the questions about drug use.
“enabl[ing] CBP to determine whether each passenger is traveling with valid authentic travel documents prior to the passenger boarding the aircraft.”
That’s literally what a passport is. Someone should tell the State department DHS is trying to illegally create their own system.
I’ll be using 8675 309 as my second number if they try to put this into practice.
More control from the left for sure. This is what Comunist countries do, they want to know where you are, where you’re going etc,etc,etc. most definitely this is not the United States I once knew. Don’t you people agree? Government please mind your own GD business.
“Comunist” countries purge libraries of content that offends the state, restrict human rights, and expel opposition leaders from government. Sound familiar? If going to make this sbout politics, try to keep your authoritarianism scorecard straight.
@Philip C:
> More control from the left for sure. This is what Comunist countries do, they want to know where you are, where you’re going etc,etc,etc. most definitely this is not the United States I once knew. Don’t you people agree? Government please mind your own GD business.
This is a pretty small change compared to the status quo–you’ve always needed to provide a phone # and where you’re staying that night. This adds a second phone number (which I would think the place you’re staying would qualify) and an e-mail (which the vast majority of people have.) This is a very minor change that will only matter in some edge cases.
Consider the other Republican actions, though–trying to suppress ideas they don’t like. That’s major and that’s what the communists do.