For Immediate Release
DHS Press Office
Contact: 202-282-8010
OTTAWA, Canada—Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Rand Beers was in Canada today to participate in the 38th Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montréal, and meet with international counterparts to discuss aviation security and efforts to secure the global supply chain.
“In recent years, the international community has worked together to forge a new foundation for aviation security, making air travel safer and more secure than ever before,” said Acting Secretary Beers. “In order for us to continue to build upon this progress, we must continue to work together on an international, risk-based approach to expediting travel while improving security.”
During the 38th Assembly of the ICAO, Acting Secretary Beers and Transportation Security Administration Administrator John S. Pistole met with ICAO Secretary General Raymond Benjamin, as well as international counterparts to discuss collaborative efforts to enhance global supply chain security and expand risk-based approaches to security, such as trusted traveler programs. Acting Secretary Beers addressed the assembly regarding the facilitation and security benefits of trusted traveler programs. ICAO is the United Nations Specialized Agency that has responsibility for establishing standards for aviation security and air travel facilitation, including passport standards that aid in implementing international trusted traveler programs.
The United States has a long history of managing programs designed to expedite low-risk travelers across the U.S. border; today, there are nearly 2 million trusted travelers with Global Entry benefits around the world—more than 900,000 of which come from partner nations. Additionally, to date, more than 16 million passengers have experienced TSA Pre✓™, which allows pre-approved airline travelers to receive expedited screening benefits.
At Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Acting Secretary Beers toured the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Pre-Clearance facility. Pre-Clearance supports CBP’s extended border strategy by providing for the inspection and clearance of commercial passengers on foreign soil. In Fiscal Year 2012, CBP officers and agriculture specialists pre-cleared 15.6 million travelers destined for the United States at 15 locations in 5 countries.
Later, Acting Secretary Beers traveled to Ottawa to meet with Canadian Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Steven Blaney to reaffirm the close relationship between the United States and Canada, including progress on President Obama and Prime Minister Harper’s Beyond the Border initiative, emphasizing a shared approach to perimeter security and economic competitiveness. While in Ottawa, Acting Secretary Beers also toured the Canada Border Services Agency National Targeting Centre.
For more information, visit www.dhs.gov.
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