Recent reports detailing Customs and Border Protection (CBP) actions at U.S. ports of entry have prompted concerns from over 40 Democratic lawmakers. Incidents highlighting these issues include the detention of a green card holder denied access to medications, an American citizen handcuffed after questioning the detention of her German travel partner, and the five-day detention of an immigrant mother and her sick children.
The lawmakers, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal, alongside Reps. Delia Ramirez and Lou Correa, assert that CBP is increasingly denying entry to noncitizens, employing harsher questioning techniques, prolonged detentions, and arbitrary entry denials. They believe these tactics are influenced by a directive from President Donald Trump aimed at intensifying vetting processes for noncitizens.
In their letter, they argue that these actions have converted routine international travel into a “nightmarish ordeal” for various travelers, including tourists, businesspeople, and even U.S. citizens. Warren emphasized the necessity for transparency regarding CBP’s controversial tactics. Ramirez confirmed the members’ commitment to utilizing all available tools to demand accountability from DHS agencies.
Concerns also center on due process violations, citing the deportation of a Brown University professor despite a judge’s restraining order. Lawmakers criticized the increasing frequency of transferring travelers to ICE custody and the more rigorous searches of personal devices.
They highlighted the adverse impact on the U.S. travel industry, noting preparations for reduced travel and canceled trips due to CBP’s methods and broader Trump administration policies. The scrutiny of CBP comes amid media reports documenting troubling encounters and treatment of individuals in custody, leading to heightened attention, including a scheduled Senate hearing regarding Rodney Scott’s nomination to lead CBP.
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