Srilm wrote:
so I go to the airport this morning and walk up to the TSA ID check podium. I whip out my global entry ID card, and TSA guy stares at it for a minute, flips it over, stares at the back of it for a minute, looks at me and says "do you have another ID?" He had no idea what it was. Thank goodness I had my driver's license with me. Now these cards have been available for 2 or 3 months at least, and they look exactly like a Sentri card, which has been around for years. Not only is the card issued by cbp, it is a part of the trusted traveler program.
I don't blame the individual. I briefly explained the card to him and said "you're going to see a lot more of them". Definitely handier than a passport and more versatile than a driver's license. But he clearly had not been briefed on a form of usa gov't ID that is specifically designed for frequent travelers. Way to go, TSA mgmt.
can I get a "wtf?"
SR
Despite being a Global Entry trusted traveller for a while now, I just got picked for secondary screening by USCIS last night when I was exiting MIA customs. This is something they tell you about when you sign up -- being GE doesn't exempt you from being chosen for secondary screening, but it still annoyed me.
As you exit MIA baggage claim, they have a new line (#4) that says, "Global Entry Travellers" but also services all passengers. Like a fool, I got in that line.
When I get up front, I hand the agent my passport and GE ticket. He looks at the ticket, mumbles something, looks at me, looks at my passport, looks at a stack of other GE tickets on his counter, then says to me "I can't verify the number on this ticket. You're going to have to go to secondary screening for verification." I say, "Is there a problem?" to which he answers, "Why are you a GE traveller?". WTF???
During all of this another Immigration goon rushes up and stands next to him, waiting to see if I would give him an excuse to taze my ass.
All I could think of was "Hmmmm.... Is this what I submitted to an exhaustive background check for?" and "Can you say PROFILING!??!?". Total BS excuse.
All ended well though - once the secondary screener verified I was actually who I said I was and that I was a GE traveller, he felt compelled to apologize for the extra 15 minutes it took to get out of customs.
mh