Global Entry And Political Retribution

I got caught up in this mess. I applied for Global Entry to avoid long lines at the airport. I filled out the form, paid the fee, and waited six months to schedule an appointment. I had to wait another two months for the appointment date to arrive.

Two days before the appointment, I received an email informing me that because I was a resident of New York State, I was no longer eligible for the program. It was the first time that the federal government had ever denied me a service based on where I lived.

New York‘s Attorney General sued the Trump Administration, calling the policy change “political retribution,” and eventually it was reversed. My appointment was never rescheduled, and of course my application fee was not returned. I didn’t bother to apply again, because I’m not traveling during the pandemic, but the whole experience left me with a chilling feeling. Imagine what other autocratic policies the last administration would have cooked up if they had remained in power.

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/new-yorkers-can-enroll-in-global-entry-again