Poker players who are not residents of the United States and plan on playing in events located there should be aware of new proposed travel rules that will invade their privacy in ways like never before if implemented.
Stemming from an Executive Order by President Donald Trump, the proposed security updates to current rules would require a review of an applicant’s social media accounts from the past five years, phone numbers and emails for the last 10, and IP addresses.
It also calls for visitors to submit biometrics like DNA, iris scans, and fingerprints to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in order to get in and out of the United States.
According to USA Today, and many other outlets, the proposed changes to the Form I-94, which tracks passengers’ arrivals and departures, include:
- A new voluntary “self-reported exit” feature allowing foreign nationals to confirm their departure from the United States by submitting passport data, a live selfie and geolocation through CBP’s mobile app.
- Mandatory selfie uploads for all ESTA applicants, including those applying through third parties such as travel agents.
- A mobile-only ESTA application, eliminating the web-based option after CBP documented widespread abuse linked to poor-quality image uploads and fraudulent third-party websites charging travelers unnecessary fees.
- Expanded “high-value data fields,“ including applicants’ social media accounts from the past five years, phone numbers and email addresses going back a decade, IP addresses, and even biometrics such as fingerprints, face, DNA and iris scans when feasible. These additions stem from a January executive order targeting foreign terrorist threats.
- Updates to the Visa Waiver Program, including the recent removal of Romania, and the expectation that additional countries may be added in the coming years.
“Nothing has changed on this front for those coming to the United States. This is not a final rule, it is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep the American people safe,” CBP told USA TODAY in a statement. “This new proposal is in line with the January 2025 Executive Order 14161 to vet those who are coming into this country using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) by allowing CBP to collect additional information from non-U.S. citizens applying through the visa waiver program from eligible countries.”
The public has 60 days to submit their opinions. The whole proposal — as well as instructions on how to comment — can be found here or here.
The CBP spokesperson pointed to the murder of two National Guard members to defend the changes, which were part of Executive Order 14161, signed soon after Trump began his second term in January.
“The Department is constantly looking at how we vet those coming into the country, especially after the terrorist attack in Washington, D.C., against our National Guard right before Thanksgiving,” the agency’s statement according to The Sun, which, also called the proposed changes “shocking.”
This is coming on the heels of a terrible year for international tourism to the United States.
According to The World Travel & Tourism Council, the United States will have lost $12.5 billion in international visitor spending this year.
The WTTC, which calls “itself the global authority on the economic and social contribution of travel and tourism,” puts the blame squarely on the current administration.
“This is a wake-up call for the U.S. government,” said Julia Simpson, WTTC President and CEO. “The world’s biggest Travel & Tourism economy is heading in the wrong direction, not because of a lack of demand, but because of a failure to act. While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the ‘closed’ sign.
Without urgent action to restore international traveller confidence, it could take several years for the U.S. just to return to pre-pandemic levels of international visitor spend, not even the peak from 10 years ago. This is about growth in the U.S. economy – it is doable, but it needs leadership from DC.”
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