Screening at only 5 airports may not adequately protect Americans
AUSTIN Texas (Texas Insider Report) Texas is home to both Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and the Dallas-Fort Worth International (DFW) Airports where a
combined 15.6 million international passengers visited in 2013 said
Sen. John Cornyn and
Cong. Michael McCaul requesting that U.S. Customs & Border Protection add both the DFW and Bush Intercontinental Airports to the five others selected by the Department of Homeland Security for enhanced screening
earlier this week due to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
The letter comes ahead of a House Homeland Security committee hearing hosted by Rep. McCaul at DFW Airport to discuss the coordination and responses of government officials to the first confirmed Ebola virus case in the United States.
Because those traveling from Guinea Sierra Leone and Liberia can transit to the United States from many other countries we have concerns that the current decision to screen only at five airports may not adequately protect Americans and others traveling to America from the Ebola virus" Sen. Cornyn and Rep. McCaul wrote.
We ask that you consider adding IAH and DFW to the list of airports performing enhanced screening."
Sen. Cornyn and Rep. McCaul also pressed for further information on enhanced screening procedures including details on the tracking system in place for those traveling from impacted countries and information on what measures are being taken at ports of entry other than airports including high-traffic land border ports of entry along the Texas-Mexico border.
The full text of the letter is below.
October 10 2014
R. Gil Kerlikowske
Commissioner
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington DC 20229
Dear Commissioner Kerlikowske
We are writing about the decision by the Department of Homeland Security to provide enhanced screening to passengers from the Ebola-affected nations of Guinea Liberia and Sierra Leone.
As you may know Texas is home to both Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) where a combined 15.6 million international passengers visited in 2013. Neither airport has been designated for enhanced screening. Because those traveling from Guinea Sierra Leone and Liberia can transit to the United States from many other countries we have concerns that the current decision to screen only at five airports may not adequately protect Americans and others traveling to America from the Ebola virus.
Therefore we request that you provide answers to the following questions:
(1) According the Administration the enhanced screening will take place at five airports that receive 94 percent of the passengers from the three affected countries. Where do the other 6 percent arrive? Will other major international airports be designated for enhanced screening procedures and additional resources if this limited initiative does not effectively mitigate against entry of potentially infected passengers?
(2) How many from those Ebola-affected countries enter the United States through other ports of entry such as sea ports and land border stations?
(3) What other Ebola-related measures are being taken at other vulnerable port environments particularly at high traffic land border ports of entry along the Texas-Mexico border? If none why? Will U.S. Border Patrol apply enhanced screening procedures to those apprehended between land border ports of entry?
(4) Please explain the tracking system in place for those traveling from Liberia Guinea and Sierra Leone to the U.S. How are you working with other countries that have connecting flights from West Africa to the U.S. to ensure an adequate screening process?
(5) What passenger travel documentation do Customs and Border Protection Officers inspect when a passenger arrives in the U.S.? Is documentation other than the origin and connection of the passenger available for inspection?
We ask that you consider adding IAH and DFW to the list of airports performing enhanced screening.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to a prompt reply.
