DHS surveilled peaceful protesters and then yanked their Global Entry, federal lawsuit alleges

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Set us as preferred April Walker, a San Diego resident, was observing federal immigration agents in a Target Parking lot in April when she said they boxed her in and pointed a camera at her face and license plate.She said she never provided her driver’s license and the agents only moved their vehicles and allowed her to leave after she called 911.

Five days later, she learned that her Global Entry had been revoked.It was only reinstated, she said, after she contacted a reporter who then reached out to the Department of Homeland Security to inquire about the revocation.

Walker laid out her story in a federal lawsuit, filed Friday in the Southern District of California, alleging that agents working for the Department of Homeland Security deployed facial recognition technology and license plate information to surveil people observing and documenting federal immigration enforcement.Homeland Security then used that information to revoke Global Entry privileges in retaliation, the lawsuit alleges.“Now more than ever, those of us who have the privilege to speak out have a responsibility to defend the rights of everyone in our communities,” Walker said in a statement.

“When people are punished for exercising their First Amendment rights, we begin losing the democratic principles that protect all of us.Every American should be alarmed by retaliatory action against one’s free speech.”In a statement, a spokesperson for U.S.

Customs and Border Protection said “Global Entry or other CBP Trusted Traveler Program memberships are not revoked because someone exercises their First Amendment rights.”“Membership may be denied or revoked for reasons such as criminal activity (including pending charges or warrants), violations of customs or immigration laws, or inability to demonstrate low-risk traveler status,” the spokesper...