DHS TRAVELER REDRESS INQUIRY PROGRAM
DHS TRIP After a Border Denial or Repeated Secondary Inspection
DHS TRIP provides a central redress process for travelers who experience denied or delayed entry, repeated secondary inspection, boarding problems or other screening difficulties that may result from inaccurate government information.
DHS TRIP Can Address
- Repeated secondary inspection
- Denied or delayed entry
- Possible mistaken identity
- Inaccurate screening information
- Travel-related redress inquiries
What Is DHS TRIP?
The Department of Homeland Security Traveler Redress Inquiry Program is a single point of contact for travelers seeking resolution of specified screening and border difficulties.
CBP currently directs travelers to DHS TRIP when they believe inaccurate information may be causing repeated inspection or denied or delayed entry.
DHS TRIP is redress, not an ordinary immigration appeal. It should not be described as an automatic mechanism for reopening or vacating an expedited-removal order.
When DHS TRIP May Be Appropriate
- Repeated referrals to secondary inspection.
- Denied or delayed entry that appears tied to inaccurate database information.
- Mistaken identity or confusion with another person.
- Incorrect overstay information.
- Repeated screening problems at airports or border checkpoints.
- Other travel-screening issues identified by DHS.
What to Include
CBP recommends providing as much information as possible about where and when the traveler experienced CBP inspections.
The filing should also include reliable supporting evidence showing why the disputed information is wrong or incomplete.
Overstay Disputes
CBP specifically states that a traveler who has been advised that the problem concerns an alleged prior overstay should provide evidence showing that the traveler did not overstay.
Useful evidence may include travel records, passport stamps, foreign employment records and other dated documentation showing presence outside the United States.
What DHS TRIP Does Not Guarantee
CBP cautions that even a positive redress outcome does not guarantee that a traveler will never be referred for secondary inspection again because secondary referral can occur for other reasons, including travel circumstances or random selection.
DHS TRIP Versus CBP FOIA
- DHS TRIP: requests redress concerning travel-screening problems.
- CBP FOIA: requests access to responsive CBP records.
- Deferred Inspection: can address certain errors in admission documents.
- Waiver application: seeks permission despite a valid inadmissibility ground.
- Legal challenge: disputes whether the inadmissibility ground was legally established.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can DHS TRIP tell me everything in CBP files?
No. Record access is generally pursued through FOIA or other applicable record-access procedures.
Does filing DHS TRIP guarantee admission next time?
No. CBP still makes the admission decision when the traveler next seeks entry.
Can an attorney assist with DHS TRIP?
A representative can help organize the legal and factual record, identify inaccuracies and present supporting documentation.
Primary Government Sources
These government materials provide the principal procedural framework discussed on this page.
Build the Redress Request Around the Specific Screening Error
A focused DHS TRIP submission should identify the recurring problem and provide documentary evidence supporting correction.