Latest news with #GlobalEntry
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
What we know about claims applying for TSA PreCheck and Global Entry gives government 'unrestricted' data access
In May 2025, claims circulated that signing up for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry would give the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI unrestricted, warrantless, indefinite access to the applicant's personal data including health records, social media communications and court history. TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are part of the Trusted Traveler Programs that allow travelers to be prescreened and cut down on wait times at participating airports. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) do gather both biographic (name, address) and biometric (fingerprint) data about applicants to help determine if they can be prescreened. Both organizations share fingerprint data with the FBI. However, we found no evidence that an application to TSA PreCheck or Global Entry would give any of their managing departments "unrestricted, warrantless" access to any data about the applicant indefinitely. TSA PreCheck does not use "publicly available" data to carry out threat assessments. Both TSA and CBP have set retention policies and will delete data a set time after users discontinue their memberships in the programs. In May 2025, claims (archived) circulated that signing up for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry grants the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FBI unrestricted, warrantless, indefinite access to the applicant's personal data including health records, social media communications and court history. TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are part of the voluntary, paid Trusted Travelers Programs, which allow travelers to reduce waiting time at participating airports by being prescreened. The claims circulated on X, Facebook (archived) and Instagram (archived) accompanied by a clip from Victory News (time code 25:10), a religious news channel based in Arkansas, featuring KrisAnne Hall, a self-described constitutional lawyer, saying: So when individuals enroll in TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, they actually sign a release granting the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI unrestricted, warrantless access to all their personal data: health records, physical, mental, social media communications, court history — anything they want, they have access indefinitely. And this sweeping surrender of privacy is in the fine print few people ever really read, so the people end up giving up their permanent rights, or their rights permanently, for the convenience of maybe a little bit faster time in line. Snopes readers also emailed and searched our site seeking more information about the claim. However, we found no proof that Hall's claim about what data the DHS and FBI could access from a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application was true. According to Privacy Impact Assessments of both programs, the DHS does collect biographic and biometric information about applicants. The Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) share only fingerprints from applications to both programs with the FBI. We found no proof that a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application allows the DHS or FBI access to health records, social media communications or court history if that material isn't already public. We reached out to KrisAnne Hall to ask how she backed her claim. We also reached out to the TSA and Clear, Idemia and Telos (three companies authorized to enroll travelers in TSA PreCheck) and CBP, which handles enrollment in the Global Entry program, to ask if the claim was true and await a reply. Hall said (archived) in an X thread about her claim that applicants waived their rights when signing a "Privacy Act Notice and Authorization." While we were not able to replicate the application process to look for this document ourselves, we did find a similarly-named Privacy Act Statement that appeared early in the application process. We asked Hall for an example of the document she was referring to and await a reply. Under the Privacy Act of 1974, federal agencies must provide certain information publicly about how and why how and why they collect data from the public. The U.S. Department of Labor explained the concept on its website: The Privacy Act of 1974 requires that when we ask you for information we tell you our legal right to ask for the information, why we are asking you for it, and how it will be used. We must also tell you what could happen if we do not receive it and whether your response is voluntary, required to obtain a benefit, or mandatory. When applicants to the TSA PreCheck program start their application through one of three nominated providers, they soon encounter a Privacy Act Statement that carries out the function described above. This statement is the same across Idemia, Clear and Telos, the three TSA enrollment partners. On all three partner websites, the statement appeared early in the application process. On the Telos website, the statement appeared in a non-skippable pop-up window after clicking the "Apply" button. Hall listed two "critical clauses" to look out for that she said gave the DHS various permissions. We found no exact copy of these phrases in the Privacy Act Statement for TSA PreCheck, though the statement did say that the DHS could disclose information to a third party "during the course of a security threat assessment, employment investigation, or adjudication of a waiver or appeal request to the extent necessary to obtain information pertinent to the assessment, investigation, or adjudication of your application." Hall's second "critical clause" mentions sharing information with other government agencies. Global Entry is part of CBP's Trusted Traveler Programs (TSA PreCheck is also part of this system but the application process is outsourced to partner companies). Applicants must first create a Trusted Traveler Program login through a portal used to access multiple government services. has its own Privacy Act Statement, which also does not include Hall's "critical clauses." According to a Privacy Impact Assessment in 2013, before the initial launch of TSA PreCheck, the program would gather the following information about applicants: full legal name and any aliases; current residential address; mailing address if different than residential address; previous residential address; date of birth; Social Security number (voluntary, but recommended10); gender; physical description (height; weight; eye color; hair color); fingerprints; photograph; city, state, and country of birth; and immigration status and an alien registration number for both naturalized citizens and aliens (if applicable). Federal agencies must carry out a Privacy Impact Assessment before "developing or procuring IT systems or projects that collect, maintain or disseminate information in identifiable form from or about members of the public," according to the DHS. Notably, this list did not include "health records, social media communications and court history," as Hall claimed. The Privacy Impact Assessment specifically said the TSA did not use "publicly available data" to carry out threat assessments. That could include things like social media communications (public comments and posts) and court documents. Additionally, there was no indication that the TSA would have access to the information applicants provided indefinitely, as Hall claimed. According to the Privacy Impact Assessment, unless an applicant was "a positive match to a watch list," any information held by the TSA would be deleted one year after the applicant "notified TSA that he or she no longer is participating, or seeking to participate, in the TSA PreCheck Application Program." Likewise, a Privacy Impact Assessment for Global Entry (and other Trusted Traveler Programs) in 2013 listed the information collected for that program which, in addition to the information collected for TSA PreCheck, also included: Telephone numbers Country of citizenship Language preferences Employment history (if available); PASS ID or Trusted Traveler membership number, GOES user ID, Password and answers to security questions (for lost passwords); Countries visited in the last five years; Criminal history; Parental or Legal Guardian permission (if 18 years or younger); Driver's license number; and Issuing state or province of the applicant's Driver's License. Some non-U.S. citizens are eligible for Global Entry, which is why the information collected for this program also includes citizenship and language preferences. The CBP holds data provided during the application process for Global Entry for three years after an individual's membership lapses, according to the Privacy Impact Assessment. As such, we found no evidence that an application to TSA PreCheck or Global Entry required an applicant to allow the DHS or FBI "unrestricted, warrantless" access to their health records, social media communications and court history. Both TSA PreCheck and Global Entry use biographic and biometric data and share fingerprints submitted with the FBI. Both programs will delete biographic information about applicants after set periods of time if an applicant's membership lapses. People in the U.S. have the right to see and correct information that the federal government keeps on file about them under the Privacy Act. Apply for TSA PreCheck® | TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA. Accessed 29 May 2025. Eligibility for Global Entry | U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Accessed 29 May 2025. Enrollment App. Accessed 29 May 2025. Get Copies of Your Government Files through the Privacy Act | USAGov. Accessed 29 May 2025. Privacy & Security: Our Privacy Act Statement | Accessed 29 May 2025. "Privacy Act Notice." DOL, Accessed 29 May 2025. Privacy Impact Assessment for the Global Enrollment System. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 10 Jan. 2013, Privacy Impact Assessment for the TSA Pre✓™ Application Program. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 4 Sept. 2013, Privacy Impact Assessments | Homeland Security. Accessed 29 May 2025. @RealKahall. "When You Sign up for TSA Precheck, Global Precheck, CLEAR, or TWIC You Voluntarily Sign a Privacy Act Notice and Authorization, Which Gives the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — Particularly TSA — Permission To:" X, 26 May 2025, Trusted Traveler Programs | U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Accessed 29 May 2025.
CNBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
Does APR matter if I pay off my credit card each month?
If you've ever owned a credit card before, chances are you're familiar with the term "APR," or annual percentage rate. For specifically credit cards, your purchase APR is essentially your interest rate, or the cost of borrowing money. But for those cardholders who pay their balance off on time and in full every month, their APR really doesn't matter. Let's see how managing your credit card payments can help you avoid interest entirely. Credit cards often have a few different types of APRs, but purchase APR is what many people are referring to when they talk about a credit card's interest rate. Purchase APR is essentially how much it costs to borrow money, which is what you're doing each time you use your card. For any borrowed funds that you don't pay back on time, your bank will charge you interest on the amount that remains unpaid. For example, if you had an unpaid statement balance of $1,000 on a card with a 20% APR, you would be charged an additional $16.57 in interest for that one billing cycle. You can see how credit card balances quickly balloon the longer they go unpaid. To find your card's APR, look at your monthly billing statement or contact your card issuer. Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent Debt Relief has resolved over $19 billion in outstanding debts since 2002. It offers free credit card debt relief in 2011, Accredited Debt Relief has helped clients resolve over $1 billion in debt. Your purchase APR doesn't really matter if you pay your statement balance on time . Many credit cards have a grace period, which is the time between when your billing cycle ends and when your payment is due. Since credit cards only charge interest on outstanding balances, if you pay off everything you bought with your card for that period, you won't owe any interest. While grace periods are not required to be offered by cards, if they are, they must be for a minimum of 21 days. Paying off your card's balance on time and in full each month isn't just a good financial habit that can save you money on interest, but it also means you're maximizing the value you get from rewards. Let's look at a card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which comes with 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and no foreign transaction fees. If you pay off your card's balance each month, you'll avoid the nearly 30% APR on purchases and balance transfers (!) and it also makes perks like an up to $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck that much more valuable. It's a real $120 credit; if you were also paying interest on a balance, it effectively cancels out, or subtracts from, that credit you're getting. Good to Excellent670–850 19.99% - 29.24% variable $95 Earn 75,000 miles Terms apply. Read our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a reasonable annual fee and earns flexible travel rewards, which makes it a great travel card for beginners or heavy travelers.$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you None We can apply the same thought process to a cash-rewards card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. With this credit card, you can earn a flat-rate 2% unlimited cash rewards on purchases while paying no annual fee. If you use this card and pay your bill on time and in full each month, you're essentially getting 2% cash rewards of what you spend back to you for no extra fees. On Wells Fargo's site On Wells Fargo's site Good to Excellent670–850 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR $0 Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus See rates and fees. Terms apply. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is great if you want simplicity thanks to its flat-rate 2% unlimited cash rewards on purchases and $0 annual balance transfer fee of 3% for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5 3% Remember that rewards and welcome bonuses on new credit cards are really most valuable when you pay your credit card on time and in full every month. If you find yourself carrying credit card balances month to month, it's something you should address ASAP. It's likely that your credit card's APR is the highest interest rate you're being charged out of all your debts so it should be prioritized. Cut out other spending, like monthly subscriptions, until that balance is paid off entirely. And if it's a sizable amount of credit card debt, consider a balance transfer card where you transfer your outstanding balance to a credit card that has an introductory zero-interest period. That gives you time to make payments to your balance without accruing more interest. With the Citi Simplicity® Card, for example, you'll have a 0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers from date of account opening — nearly two years — to pay off your debt entirely (after, 18.24% to 28.99% variable APR). An intro balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount you transfer ($5 minimum) applies to transfers you make in the first four months, after that a fee of 5% of the amount you transfer applies ($5 minimum). Receive a 0% Intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers and for 12 months on purchases from date of account opening. Good to Excellent670–850 18.24% - 28.99% variable $0 None See rates and fees. Terms apply. Read our Citi Simplicity® Card review. The Citi Simplicity® Card may not earn rewards, but it can still save you money due to its amazing intro-APR offers. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5). 3% Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox. Sign up here. At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Planning to fly without a Real ID in Wisconsin? Here's what to bring to the airport
After years of postponements, the deadline to get a Real ID in Wisconsin has come and gone. If you still haven't gotten yours, you'll need another approved form of ID to fly domestically, or you may have to complete additional security screenings at the airport. Regular driver's licenses are no longer valid forms of ID to fly domestically or visit federal buildings following the May 7, 2025 Real ID deadline. Here's what to expect and how to prepare if you're flying without a Real ID. If you don't have a Real ID, you can still fly domestically and visit certain federal facilities if you have another form of ID approved by the Transportation Security Administration. If you don't have another TSA-approved form of ID, you may be asked to complete "an identity verification process" at the airport, according to the TSA. TSA officers will collect information including your name and current address, and if they can confirm your identity, you will be allowed to enter the security checkpoint. There, you may face additional screening. If you do not cooperate with the verification process or if officers cannot verify your identity, then you will not be allowed into the security checkpoint. Other TSA-approved alternatives include: U.S. passport or U.S. passport card State-issued enhanced driver's license DHS trusted traveler cards (GlobalEntry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST) U.S. Department of Defense ID (including dependents' IDs) Permanent resident card Border crossing card Acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized tribal nation HSPD-12 PIV card Foreign government-issued passport Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card Transportation worker identification credential (TWIC) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766) U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) The TSA does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling domestically. A Real ID is a more secure version of your driver's license, marked by a star in the upper right corner for a Wisconsin ID. The switch is part of the Real ID act, passed by Congress in 2005, which required the federal government to create standards for identification, such as driver's licenses, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Under the law, ID cards have to meet certain standards for purposes like flying domestically or visiting federal buildings and military bases. To obtain a Real ID in Wisconsin, you'll need to go to your local DMV. You can visit the DMV's website at to start filling the necessary forms. The price to get a Real ID in Wisconsin is the same as getting or renewing a regular driver's license — $34. A regular photo ID costs $28. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Here's how you can fly without a Real ID in Wisconsin
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Yahoo
Planning to fly without a Real ID license? You'll need one of these documents
The deadline to obtain a Real ID-compliant license before TSA screeners require them at airports and some federal facilities passed weeks ago. If you still haven't upgraded, you could be kept from traveling or you'll face additional airport screening, but there are other options. It can take up to four weeks to receive a new Michigan license after filling out paperwork through the Michigan Secretary of State's office, which means you can't ask for one and receive it the same day. Instead, you will have to rely on other forms of approved identification. Even if you don't have an alternative approved form, TSA officers may simply ask you to complete an identity verification process that includes collecting information, such as your name and current address to confirm your identity. If your identity is confirmed, you will be allowed to enter the security screening checkpoint, where you may be subject to additional screening. If you don't have one of the approved alternatives, you need to take steps to obtain a Real ID compliant license or one of the other ID forms. Teens/ children typically don't need identification to fly with a parent or guardian. "Transportation Security Administration does not require children under age 18 to provide identification when traveling with a companion within the United States," according to the Michigan Department of State. Here's what to know about Real ID alternatives. If you have a passport, you can use that instead of a REAL ID to board domestic flights, according to the Department of Homeland Security. If you want the convenience of using your driver's license or identification card to board domestic flights, then you'll need to get a REAL ID. Passports (or passport cards in some cases) are always required for international travel. Routine passport applications take 4 to 6 weeks to process. Expedited applications take 2 to 3 weeks. Urgent requests can be completed in person in 14 days. TSA-approved Real ID alternatives include: U.S. passport U.S. passport card Michigan enhanced driver's license DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST) U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents Border crossing card An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe HSPD-12 PIV card Foreign government-issued passport Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card Transportation worker identification credential U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766) U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) The deadline to have a Real ID-compliant identification was May 7, 2025. The Department of Homeland Security offers an online tool to check whether you have acceptable ID. Real ID compliance is part of a larger act passed by Congress in 2005 to set 'minimum security standards' for the distribution of identification materials, including driver's licenses, USA TODAY reported. "Transportation Security Administration does not require children under age 18 to provide identification when traveling with a companion within the United States," according to the Michigan Department of State. More: Your guide to Real ID in Michigan: Deadline, how to get it, what it looks like, more The law means certain federal agencies, like the Transportation Security Administration or the Department of Homeland Security, won't be allowed to accept state-issued forms of identification that don't include a Real ID seal. Yes, the Michigan Secretary of State will continue to offer Real ID-compliant licenses in the future. You can upgrade your license when you renew or by making an appointment. More: Can I still travel without a Real ID? Here are the alternatives You can update your ID by visiting your local Michigan Secretary of State branch office. You'll need to bring the following documents, per the department: Your current Michigan driver's license or ID. A valid, unexpired U.S. passport, birth certificate, or other proof of legal presence document. A certified legal name-change document, if your name is different from what is on your birth certificate. From Feb. 23 to May 17, the Michigan Secretary of State said, workers issued 202,571 real ID-compliant driver's licenses or state IDs to Michiganders. The week of May 4 was the busiest of the year, with 28,289 converted IDs issued. More than 76% of Michigan residents have compliant licenses, the SoS said. Michigan had about 7.0 million licensed drivers as of 2020, according to the Federal Highway Administration. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Real ID rules are in effect. What you need to get onto a plane
Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
Texas Could Fine Doctors $250,000 for Changing Patients' Recorded Sex
Texas could fine doctors $250,000 for changing patients' recorded sex on their medical documents as part of a new bill. The Texas House of Representatives approved a bill on Thursday requiring health agencies to record the sex assigned at patients' births on forms. The bill includes penalties for those who do not comply. Transgender rights were a central theme in the 2024 election. When President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January, he signed an executive order mandating that his administration would use "clear and accurate language and policies that recognize women are biologically female, and men are biologically male." The federal government will also use the word "sex" instead of "gender" with all official documents, including passports, visas and Global Entry cards, "accurately reflecting the holder's sex." In Texas, in particular, there has been a series of legislation affecting the trans community. As of September 2024, transgender Texans are no longer permitted to change sex on birth certificates. Meanwhile, a separate Texas bill could make it a felony for transgender people to identify their gender differently from their sex assigned at birth on official documents with government entities or employers The bill could fine doctors $250,000 for changing patients' recorded sex. However, it also has an exemption stating it does not stop gender identity information from being included in health records. The bill also includes restrictions on healthcare providers' use of artificial intelligence (AI) but does not ban it, and rules about the storage of digital servers. Texas state Representative Greg Bonnen, a Republican who sponsored the bill, said: "Listen, biological sex and medical records is an issue of accuracy, and impacting safe medical care in an acute situation, an emergency could lead to a misdiagnosis. The whole point of the section of the bill is to ensure the physicians always know the true biological sex from birth, and the language is carefully crafted to allow for exceptions based on other medical conditions." Texas state Representative Ron Reynolds, a Democrat who opposes the bill: "Knowing that documentation choices could trigger a government investigation discourages providers from recording accurate individualized information, especially in complex cases involving gender or sex variation. It places fear and legal exposure ahead of best medical practice." The bill requires another formal vote in the state House. Then, it will be sent to the Senate. If the Senate passes it, it will move to Texas Governor Greg Abbott's desk for approval. Related Articles 'Texas Time' Moves a Step CloserTexas Homeowners Could Get Major Tax CutsMillions in Texas Told to Share Car RidesCartels Smuggling Stolen Oil Into Texas, DEA Says 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
