The suspension of the United States’ Global Entry programme has prompted urgent appeals from travel industry groups and lawmakers, underscoring the scheme’s role in facilitating international passenger flows during peak travel periods.
The Department of Homeland Security halted Global Entry on Sunday, citing the need to preserve limited funds and personnel during a partial government shutdown caused by a congressional funding lapse. While the department initially signalled that the Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck programme would also be suspended, it subsequently reversed that decision. The move affects a system designed to expedite customs and immigration clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers entering the United States.
The US Travel Association criticised the suspension, arguing that the programme is largely funded by the $120 fee paid by members and therefore lacks fiscal justification for closure. The group said removing Global Entry would increase pressure on standard inspection lines, stretch personnel resources and heighten security risks. Images posted on social media showed extended queues at Washington Dulles International Airport following the suspension, reflecting operational disruption at a major gateway.
Senator Mark Warner of Virginia noted that more than 18 million travellers used Global Entry in 2025, saving over 300,000 officer hours across 79 ports of entry. He also pointed out that both Global Entry and PreCheck remained operational during a 43-day government shutdown last autumn. Warner described the administration’s rationale as inconsistent, urging collaboration on immigration policy rather than measures that, in his view, impose unnecessary strain on travellers.
More than 20 million people are enrolled in PreCheck, which enables approved passengers to access dedicated, faster security lanes at US airports. The timing of the Global Entry suspension coincides with the start of the spring break travel season, a period of elevated passenger volumes. With the Department of Homeland Security operating under partial shutdown conditions, the episode highlights the vulnerability of border facilitation programmes to political funding disputes and leaves unresolved how prolonged interruptions could affect traveller confidence and airport throughput.
