when U.S. Customs and Border Protection It closed its Warwick office that processed applications for the Global Entry program for international travelers in 2020, but as the COVID pandemic raged on, few people were flying in the first place.
Four years later, air travel is booming again, but the office on Jefferson Boulevard remains closed with minimal explanation.
What does the Global Entry Registration Center do?
Global Entry provides expedited passage through U.S. border crossings to travelers who submit to special background checks and mandatory in-person interviews who are deemed to pose a low security risk.
The Ocean State’s congressional delegation is now asking President Joe Biden’s administration why Rhode Island frequent fliers are being forced to travel to Boston, or worse, New York or New Jersey, for interviews. There is.
“It is unfortunate that our constituents have not been able to conveniently schedule an in-person appointment for nearly four years.” Rhode Island Global Entry Registration Center The all-Democratic delegation, consisting of Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, and Reps. Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo, said CBP Acting Chairman Troy – Said in a letter to Miller.
“This means Rhode Islanders will have to drive nearly two additional hours to interview at their nearest open enrollment center, making the interview process even more difficult and further increasing barriers to program participation. ” they said.
The reason for the office closure four years ago was “renovation”
The only explanation provided in the July 6, 2020 Customs and Border Protection notice is that the Rhode Island Registration Center did not reopen after all registration offices were closed during the spring coronavirus shutdown. However, the department said the office needed to undergo “renovations.” Delegation.
It is unclear whether any work has been done at the office building at 300 Jefferson Boulevard or whether the federal agency is considering alternative locations for the new enrollment center.
Questions left with the Department of Homeland Security’s regional public affairs office on Friday went unanswered.
Is COVID and TF Green’s international flight suspension a factor?
In addition to the coronavirus pandemic, the Global Entry Office has also been closed due to the suspension of TF Green Airlines’ international flights.
In 2017, the Customs and Border Protection immigration checkpoint at TF Green was quickly expanded to accommodate a surge in international Norwegian Air flights.
However, by the end of 2019, Norwegian had ceased to exist, making Air Canada’s last international green flight to Toronto. Rhode Island airport officials expect new international flights to resume using federal checkpoints.
A spokesperson for Amo said it was not known whether the loss of international travel to Green caused the closure of the Global Entry office.
Discontent over disappearance of registration center spreads online
Uncertainty surrounding when or if the Rhode Island Enrollment Center will reopen has caused frustration for some travelers who were looking for reservation slots without knowing the office would not reopen.
“It has just been conditionally approved, but the system still doesn’t show any available reservations until the end of 2023,” poster SpaceBaseMasonry wrote in a 2021 thread about Rhode Island’s global entry on the social media site Reddit. I wrote.
“I’ve been looking for an appointment since June,” Yelling_Jellyfish wrote in the thread.
