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On October 23, 2014, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published in the Federal Register a notice of arrival restrictions announcing the decision of the Commissioner of CBP to direct all flights to the U.S. carrying persons who have recently traveled to, from, or through Ebola-stricken countries to arrive at one of the U.S. airports where CBP is implementing enhanced screening procedures. Pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 1433(c) and 19 C.F.R. 122.32, CBP has the authority to limit the location where all aircraft entering the U.S. from abroad may land.
In order to assist in preventing the further introduction and spread of this communicable disease in the United States, CBP, in coordination with other DHS components and offices, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and other agencies charged with protecting the homeland and the American public, is currently implementing enhanced screening protocols at five U.S. airports that receive the largest number of travelers from Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. To ensure that all travelers with recent travel to, from, or through the affected countries are screened, CBP directs all flights to the U.S. carrying such persons to arrive at the five airports where the enhanced screening procedures are being implemented. While CBP anticipates working with the air carriers in an endeavor to identify potential travelers from the affected countries prior to boarding, air carriers will remain obligated to comply with the requirement of this notice, particularly in the event that travelers who have recently traveled to, from, or through the affected countries are boarded on flights bound for the U.S. The action was effective October 21, 2014. |
