The Department of Homeland Security is temporarily halting TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, two of the most widely used trusted-traveler programs in the United States, amid a partial government shutdown.
In a statement to CNN regarding the suspension of those programs, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Patrol “are focusing on the general traveling public at our airports and ports of entry and have suspended courtesy and special privilege escorts.”
This is obviously a political move, but I dislike these programs. The frequent travelers who use them to pay for less abusive treatment from the government might otherwise advocate for everyone to receive less abusive treatment from the government.
It’s not just a “pay for less abusive treatment.” In order to get approved for TSA Pre and Global Entry, you have to go through a screening process where you volunteer your personal and professional information. You have to actively give them MORE invasive information to avoid the more physical invasions at the airport. It isn’t just like buying a Fast Pass at Disney. There is a second layer of security screening ahead of the line, so it makes sense that they can spend less time with you at the airport.
As a frequent business traveler who has a security clearance (so they already know every tiny detail about me anyway), it was a no-brainer. I used to be against it, too… until I had to go through security at DEN.
Are you no longer against it, or are you against it but willing to do it anyway for convenience?
I can advocate all I want but my lone voice isn’t doing shit for it.
I fail to see what you think a concrete action would be honestly.
Senators often fly commercial. If the security process is too onerous for them, it will change.
Look! The government doesn’t work!
You are the government you muppet. Get off your ass and do your job.
Haha sure so this instead of cutting back on the brown shirts.
Stop accepting Clear. I’ve never hated someone I’ve never met more instantly than when those cunts get escorted to the front of the line because they fucking paid more.
TSA isn’t anything more than security theater and harassment anyway.
The news keeps getting better and better! DHS is largely a useless agency, and eliminating these special privileges for “certain people” will give those people a small reminder of reality for the rest of us.
“certain people”
You do realize TSA Pre isn’t like a super expensive thing that only rich people have, right? I get it free with at least two credit cards and also get it free with my airline status. My airline status comes from flying for work so much. Either way, it’s only $70 per year. We’re not talking millionaire-level exclusivity here.
give those people a small reminder of reality for the rest of us.
Most of those “certain people” going through TSA Pre and Global Entry fly far more often than you. They are fully aware of the reality of flying and how much it sucks. Business travelers have gone through the shit you go through on your once a year vacation. Some of them have it paid for by their company as a perk. Some of them get it through airline status (which means they flew a lot before they got this perk). Some of them get it through a credit card perk (which will be used during business travel where the company will reimburse costs).
All of them gave the government a bunch of sensitive personal information to get pre-screened before going to the airport so that they didn’t have to stand in line with people who haven’t been pre-screened.
You have to deal with an hour of bad annoyance once or twice a year… and you are mad that people who have to fly 12 or more times per year are able to avoid some of that annoyance after being vetted through another annoying process?? How evil are you?
It’s actually even cheaper. The $70 is for five years.
