WATCH: Lawmakers, experts call for end to life-time ban for Americans returning from Canada
U.S. officials say that the recently enacted U.S.-Canada Life-Time Travel Ban is only in effect for Americans returning from Canada, and that strict enforcement of the rule will continue until a new Global Entry process is in place.
U.S. State Department officials confirmed on Wednesday to Fox News that “Canada would not agree to a kind of two-tier system.”
The American return passport regime requires more extensive background checks before even those with “trusted relationships” such as a spouse or family member are granted entry.
A one-way door for Canadians was being described by U.S. officials as “absurd,” and criticized by lawmakers and immigration experts, who pointed out that information gathered by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be worthless in Canada because of its jurisdiction over local immigration matters.
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WATCH: How could this one-way travel ban affect you?
The Canadian ExpressPass, a government-operated program providing fast tracking for some U.S. citizens, has become a key link in the process. Now that Canada is seeking $1 billion from Washington to help pay for it, it will continue with its plan despite intense pressure from President Donald Trump to end the rule.
Even with the life-time ban in place, Trump seems to be relaxed about travel for Canadians to America.
The U.S. Ambassador to Canada, Kelly Craft, tweeted that she was unable to travel to her home state of Maine to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Trump’s presidency because of the restrictions.
“Time to re-evaluate the new restrictions on travellers to the US by Canadians?” she tweeted.
“Hear, hear,” she later replied to a tweet from the Canadian embassy.
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Censure of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been increased following the extra scrutiny which could be put into place by Canada should they accept the money in funding Global Entry, which would act as an extension of the Travel Ban by facilitating passport screening.
The Global Entry program allows, without the need for a visa, for a fee of $100 per traveller to allow speedy acceptance into a United States post airport. A four-member family can be enrolled as a family.
The deadline to accept the money for the scheme is Friday.
“We’re getting wallflowers,” Trump told Fox News, adding that the UK “is being beat over the head with it and being told they’re going to be hitting the wall like everybody else.”
The U.S. president has previously accused Canada of being “taking advantage” of U.S. trade policies.
He said in an interview with the Washington Examiner that Canada is “talking to us like we’re idiots, we’re not negotiators like the Japanese, the Australians and other people are at the table, talking in good faith.”
According to a report from Politico, Trudeau is quoted as saying Canada is taking “considerable steps” to make life as difficult as possible for Trump in his trade talks with China.
“Any Canadian prime minister would be against this,” he said.
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