Also, applications are denied after “being told in person they were approved after screenings and interviews.”
The Trump administration’s so-called Muslim ban is not limited to nationals of seven predominantly Muslim nations. According to multiple reports, even Muslim Americans — naturalized US citizens and green card holders — are being targeted.
The Global Entry program allows pre-approved travelers expedited customs processing through kiosks without paperwork. US citizens and permanent residents are eligible for the Global Entry membership.
The trend was first reported by Mic on Thursday. “A spate of Muslim travelers in the United States, both American citizens and green card holders, have claimed U.S. Customs and Border Protection revoked their Global Entry cards, several immigration lawyers said,” it wrote. “Other travelers said their Global Entry applications were denied — without explanation — after being told in person they were approved after screenings and interviews, according to the lawyers.”
Greg Siskind, an attorney who has been “leading the charge in investigating these cases,” told Mic that so far “eight to nine people who are all Muslim” approached him after their Global Entry status was revoked.
The New York-based travel news portal Skift reported that business travelers indicated that “corporate visa vendors are alerting clients that Muslim men between the ages of 18 and 49 may be affected.”
It said one individual, a naturalized citizen since middle school and a Global Entry member since 2012, “was suddenly informed via email that his Global Entry status had been revoked. The CBP stated that his status has been revoked for the following reason: ‘You do not meet the program eligibility requirements.”
The Skift report added: “Travelers are also being informed to expect extra scrutiny and screening when passing through customs. The CBP determines that the applicant is “low risk” before being accepted into Global Entry.”