Since the implementation of International Megan’s Law (IML), registered citizens have been required to report international travel to their local sheriffs. In turn, their travel plans have been transmitted to the US Marshall’s, who, through the “Angel Watch” program, inform the receiving country of a registrant’s intended travel there.
Although the overwhelming majority of people travel internationally for business, to visit with family, or for vacation, the United States sends notifications as if every registered citizen is traveling to engage in sex trafficking.
As a consequence, more and more countries are turning away registered citizens at their borders.
Before you purchase a ticket, book hotels or excite your family, consult with the travel matrix found at the link below to ensure that the country you plan to visit will accept you.
http://registranttag.org/resources/travel-matrix/
Please keep in mind that you cannot absolutely rely on this matrix, as the IML is newly enacted and we are only beginning to discover which countries turn away registered citizens. This is only intended to be a guide, populated with information from registrants who have traveled.
If you would like to share your international travel experience or have data to add to this matrix, please fill out the following online form: http://registranttag.org/travel-experience-report/ note that your personal information will not be publicly shared.
With all due respect to Kyle – you do not really think Trump is going to reform the registry do you? Trumps popularity is based on playing into the fears of people and what they ASSUME to be true. RSOs are near the top of that list of fears – only overshadowed a bit by terrorists.
I did talk to a high person within FDLE and local SPOT people. I will say I truly believe they acted professional with me and are trying to get clarification. Florida is saying it was not them telling anybody to refuse me or send me back. They stated they simply notify the Marshals office via the Portal as they always have done. I insisted I do not even fall undrer the IML but he says he believes they still must report under Adam Walsh act but that appears to be a possible error also. What caught me was the statement that it appeared they allready had known I was going and was reported by the Marshals office even before FDLE told them! That’s what I heard. I do have previous issues with a ex business partner but it seems odd to assume he could put me on some alert. I still can’t confirm if this notice was simply for this trip or that I now have a system wide travel notice for 5 years. I have been contacted by some organizations on this issue and do intend to file any and all appropriate legal and information requests to get to the bottom of this. I believe we have some bad law and worse it’s not getting implemented correctly. I can only hope this was a honest mistake or lack of education on these new laws and not done with malice. These people have far more dangerous people to be going after then keeping me from making Tamales with my sick mother in law and spending Christmas with my Familly. It was also confirmed in Florida and with Homeland nobody is needing to talk to me about any active case. I am not on probation etc. They pointing back at Costa and my contact at Costa Airport say absolutely not USA wanted me back for questioning and to Deny Entry per Interpol. I still have entry stamps under a year even in my passport it’s crazy
When you book travel, that information also can make it to Law Enforcement
Yes I understand but I have always booked months in advance with no issue. Again its one thing to say hey we know about you comig and thats even silly for my charges but when Multiple people say RETURN AND DENY ENTRY PER USA VIA INTERPOL. Thats just crazy. I think we have a right to see what was sent and why. Its honestly Harrasment for anybody to Travel and be told that.. The mandate and Intent of all this is getting lost and not applied to catch or protect what its original intention was. Its not helping here nor any other destination a person has no record in.
File a Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) request or a public records request to the US Marshalls.
Travel is getting out of hand hurting people it was not meant to hurt and cuausing damage to Families. Back over 5 years ago I was accused of touching a girls breast on the outside of the shirt. Long story was my Attorney and a bad Judge who has since been removed forced me to take a deal. The charges had been filed inccorectly and was actually a Level of PBL punishable by life! because of a allegation of Weopon or serious injury both not true. To streamline I fought back won a 3850 Hearing and was resentenced to a 3rd Degree Felony for Attempted Sexual Battery. Time served no sex probation etc. Because of the original charge in Florida you Automatically get PREDATOR status although I had 1 charge and not underage but a 33 year old woman. (This all started from a girl asking for $250,000 to settle and her friends have done this to other men) The civil was dropped her Attorney walked off the case I was resentenced by a new Judge and Predator status vacated. I travelled with no problems multiple times especially to Costa Rica even last year and November under the worst charges no issue. (Life Sentence Charge Predator Status) This was vacated and resentenced nunc pro tunc back to original date.
I registered like I always do and gave my 21 days notice etc. When I arrived in Costa Rica they let my wife in and then something caught her eye on my passport scan so she said she needed to ask somebody something. 20 minutes later she tell us I cannot enter because the USA has sent a request via Interpol that I should be denied entry and they want me back. My wife and I should my registrtion that reflected I was allowed to be in Costa and had been under a year ago. Never had a ticket or trouble in 18 years and spending holidays as always with our Familly (I have no history of any sex Tourism less anything underage) A supervisor showed me a computer letter that said it was clear I must be turned away the USA wants me back. I need to fix it and I can come back but not on that day. My wife cried we tried to show more info but they talked yet to another person who said they must follow the Interpol Request and I told them it was just a notification I was coming. He said NO it was a return order from my Country. I was taken to a area in the Airport with security and made to sit like 12 hours for the next flight back. I was told I needed to sign papers but I did not. They told me the reason for the return was not listed by Interpol. I was eventually showed a green Costa Rican form that the guy simply checked a box AFTER talking to me about why and what it could be so I was honest. They wouldnt give me a copy of the Interpol Alert as they said it was confidential!. I did take a photo of the paper they kept and did not sign it but a very nice security officer told me it was not related to the Interpol letter but simply a form to give me a quick reason Costa Rica was deporting me. They did not want to pay for my connenction and I was going to be stock far away from home but a nice Security guy went to Batt for me and I did get the trip all the way back. I was told I was not banned but that for today I couldnt enter try another time date or place. I was actually shocked what I was told but I am not going to put that out here. Once returned to Florida with no bags as I lef them with my wife who is still in Costa Waiting for me or will come back soon. I got the usual 2nd check and again a very nice Customs and Imigration agent greeted me I told her my story and she said she doesnt see anything in the computer that would have prevented my entry to Costa and she did not show USA or Florida wanted me back. In fact she said I would not have been allowed to even get on the plane if what Idescibed was valid. I checked and my online registration is showing I am in Costa Rica and all looks good. I was told even my security I should go to Nicaragua or Panama and simply come back by land or fly again the next day. I would have been in my window to do this. My wife and I decided to wait to hear from a lawyer here as she contacts one in Costa before we decide if to go back. I would need to register travel again now next week as a emergency etc. This has destroyed my Familly they are all upset. I own property and employee people and I cant even get back. I have been married 18 years and we have all the documents for me to become a Resident and Citizen but you must be in the country to put in the required docs and in person. Please anybody offer some advice. I am also willing to hire a lawyer both her and In Costa Rica but they are insistent the issue is with USA/Interpol and if I get that fixed to come back. I will also scan and post the redacted letter to share. I believe this is a good example for Janice or others to show how unjust this system is hurting good working people of all ages and economical status. I own mulitple companies and my wife is a Realtor!. WHo is this protecting and who is it punishing? Costa Rica is losing my Car Rental Hotel and Resort stay and instead I leave a depressed wife at her Moms alone for Christmas. Something has to be done and I want to know why I was even listed with a green . notice based on my lack of threat to anybody and how we can legally see the documents sent. Does a green notice go out 1 time for 1 Country? or each time? I know people have ways around the system but I am looking to simply follow the law but not be unjustly penalized by it. I could be a Murdered and I would have entered no problem
Thanks
https://www.change.org/p/donald-trump-reform-the-sex-offender-registry
Please sign this important petition!
This whole international notification garbage is simply ridiculous. When registered people who are considered low risk here travel to another country for business, our government has no business notifying them of the registered status. Especially if it is someone who received differed adjudication, and there is not even an official conviction on record for them to make these claims to those other nations.
My husband was denied passage 10/15 on the same cruise ship he had travelled on 10 months prior, and this was done prior to IML passage this year. Angel Watch was illegal prior to IML but it was still going on long before IML became long. Proof is we were pulled out of disembarkation 5/14 in Ft. Lauderdale and TSA went through my husband’s laptop and suitcase but of course, found nothing. After having taken 25 cruises in my lifetime, I will no longer travel anywhere abroad due to the scarlet letter printed on my husband’s forehead. Guess basically I’m as guilty as the man I married who was sentenced in 1990, 5 years prior to Megan’s Law, Jacob Wetterling Act and Adam Walsh laws. We support the FAC’s ex-post facto legal challenge and hope you will all do the same! Politicians don’t understand that it’s all about equality!
Went to Italy with mom and bro wife, nobody cared, saidva word to me a registrant.I told my sheriff, called italian policia. Italy said its a usa problem not theirs. Not a word during travels mentioned.
We bought annual passes to Disney and spent 2 days inside the theme park before being pulled out of line, made to wait half an hour, and then pulled into a back room where a Disney Supervisor and Orange County Sheriff Officer stood and told my husband he was hereon banned from any Disney property. It was the most humiliating, depressing experience of my life, and I will never forgive Disney for banning RSO’s just “because” they can, not because they did anything. If Disney thinks they are accomplishing anything, they are not. They are just stopping Florida RSO’s that purchase an annual pass from entering WDW. Anyone can purchase a ticket at the gate with cash in hand and no one at Disney will know what their registration status is. That way they make more money, but they aren’t stopping RSO’s from entering their property, that’s for sure!
Would like to know if same rule applies to Disneyland in Anaheim, CA?
Hi Candy.
Sadly, they do pull them out of the ticket line as well. I personally know of two cases where this has happened. (Also one other case where a couple was trying, like you, to purchase annual passes….it took Disney 6 hrs of meetings to admit that they would not allow the SO into the park when the couple went down to ask about the policy. They still tried to sell one to his wife. My understanding is that they got an earful from her.)