Global Entry and TSA PreCheck are designed to flag risk at domestic airports and U.S. borders – not during political protests miles from the nearest checkpoint. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is using facial recognition technology to identify people during immigration enforcement operations and protests. Cleland says the agent told her he had used facial recognition to identify her and warned that she was “impeding” federal operations. According to Customs and Border Protection’s official Global Entry FAQ, membership in the program is voluntary and subject to continuous vetting. As ICE expands its use of facial recognition and other surveillance tools, Global Entry and TSA PreCheck are colliding with activities that have nothing to do with travel.

Source: International New York Times February 01, 2026 06:40 UTC