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.
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)