Watchdog Finds Critical Weaknesses in Global Entry Border System
A new government report reveals that human error and lax receipt verification leave the Global Entry program vulnerable to exploitation. Officers often fail to check security codes on kiosk receipts, potentially allowing unauthorized travelers into the United States.
A government watchdog reports that the Global Entry program, which expedites border crossings for over six million low-risk travelers, is highly vulnerable to exploitation. The system allows approved passengers to use airport kiosks instead of waiting in standard immigration lines, but the inspector general finds that crucial security steps in this process are routinely skipped.
The vulnerability stems from human error by Customs and Border Protection officers who fail to properly verify the authenticity of the kiosk receipts. These receipts contain two key security features, including a daily-rotating security code, but supervisors complain that checking these codes manually is too cumbersome and slows down passenger processing.
Worse still, the report reveals that many officers do not even receive the necessary daily security code required to validate a receipt. When inspectors discover that a daily code is compromised or posted online, CBP staff consistently fail to take corrective action, creating a serious loophole that could allow someone with malicious intent to forge a receipt and gain unauthorized entry into the U.S.