Member Advised Passport Confiscated at Airport
A member just advised us that as he was about to board an international flight (which he properly reported under IML) he was approached by three US Marshalls who confiscated his passport and told him he had to get a new one with an identifier. He was not permitted to travel and he had received no prior notice that he had to update his passport.
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I recently applied for and received my passport without any marker and I have been registered in Florida for 9 years now. I have booked a flight and hotel for January and now I am worried the same will happen to me.
I have contacted the Angel Watch center at this email: [email protected]. I made them aware that my passport does not have an identifier and asked if I am not considered a “covered sex offender” under IML. I will keep you guys updated on what they tell me.
Please do, Noel
I received an automated response a few moments after sending the e-mail with basic information already made to the public about IML.
This part of the e-mail seems to sum it up pretty clearly: “Please note, inquiries received at this email address will not receive a response unless they include the completed Certification of Identity form and are related to a notification that has been made to a foreign government or are related to a passport marking that is already on your current passport. Questions regarding whether an individual will be subject to foreign notification for future travel or if an individual is required to a receive passport marking on a future passport will not receive a response (please see the link for International Megan’s Law above for information regarding these subjects).”
They are only providing any assistance to those individuals who already have the identifier and think it was placed on there by mistake. No kind of support or clarification on who this law applies to and how to go about complying with the law and receiving the mark.
My specific concern is the fact that my adjudication was withheld and I am not a convicted felon. I’m a registered sex offender who can vote. Having a mark on my passport that says the word convicted is technically untrue so maybe I am not included? It would be nice if they provided some sort of way to verify this.
Either way my flight for January is booked and I will definitely let you guys know what happens and I will gladly join any subsequent lawsuit that might arise.
Noel,
I’m basically in the same category as you, Deferred with no Conviction…also was involved in original lawsuit.
Please let us know what their response is if you would. I leave for Kenya in a little less than a month and would prefer no problems!!
@Noel: The special marker on the passport is supposed to be only for those convicted of a sex crime against a minor. Also, I wonder if the govt is marking passports of those whose adjudication was withheld (not officially convicted, but still required to register) in Florida. Does either case apply to your situation?
Mack: Does your pp have a marker? Have you traveled international recently?
Scott: I received an automated response that was no help at all. You can scroll up a bit and you will see that I copied and pasted it.
RayO: I am required to register but my adjudication was withheld. Technically that might mean I do not require the special marker and I recently received my passport without the marker. But in my past experience with law enforcement they tend to not care about technical loopholes and will bunch all sex offenders together. Either way I have to report my international travel so the Marshals at the airport will know I woulndn’t be surprised if they did not let me travel.
Thanks, Noel. I wasn’t “convicted” in Floriduh either, but must still register. I realize that “not convicted” doesn’t mean too much to the State of Floriduh, but I’ve been curious whether federal authorities feel the same way (or just don’t understand). I’ve found that other states are confused by the whole “not convicted but still registered” thing. I appreciate your response, since I have been contemplating renewing my passport, but I’m concerned that I might eventually be required to re-apply, should I receive a renewed passport without the scarlet letter indication on the back cover. I’ve emailed Angel Watch on two occasions, trying to get an answer, and have received no response. Please let us know if you learn for certain whether your withheld adjudication keeps you from being a “covered offender”, and I will do the same. Thanks.
Hi Noel .
I hope this email reaches you well .
I am interested in the same subject that you’re talking about please can you email me when you get a respond back thank you so much and hope you have a great day .
This issue was already settled in court. The moment iml was signed into law the marshall service went to Manilla and dragged a so back to Kansas for failing to register under iml. This case was fast tracked to scotus which ruled unanimously that iml violated his ex post facto rights. Why is NO ONE suing that these actions violates stand scotus rulings and precedent?!?! It is germany all over the ovens are warming as we speak.
Larry – you are referring to Nichols v US. this was a completely different issue.
I miss the days when traveling was so easy and painless and as simple as getting in your car and go to mind your own business. Last time I flew was a few years ago before I caught my case and I visited some family in Boston. It took longer to get processed through the airport security check than the plane took to get to Boston.
First thing came to mind is that they wait for the person to travel to then embarrass the person in front everyone at the airport for the sake of displaying a spectacle in front of other people to then have the person pay twice for a passport.
I would like to know the circumstances. Like: Did he just get a new one before his trip without the identifier? Or was this passport one he’s had for awhile? I’m planning a trip next summer to Europe and need to apply for a new passport as mine is expired.
Hi Steve .
I am in the same boat as you are . please a soon as you get some information let me know so I can know what I’m supposed to do.
I am going to apply for a new one tomorrow. On the app it even asks when you plan to travel and I gave next summers dates. If it comes with no identifier they would have plenty of time to revoke my new one. We’ll see.
He needs to rightfully sue the government to hell. I would gladly donate to this cause and I am sure we can get others to join.
Is this what domestic terrorism looks like in 2018 in America?
He CANNOT leave the country without a Scarlett letter stamped on it because a moronic Politician decided that this asinine, redundant law would appease some group that lobbied for it?
This. THIS is why people need to stop voting for the same two idiot Political groups: Republicans and Democrats. Nothing will change unless we vote-in someone that will down-size this over-bloated, wasteful prison-filling machine. When will the Libertarian party finally get their act together and select a qualified candidate for office to help slash the size of this monstrosity by 20-30% finally? Let’s see them try to pass stupid laws when they have a limited budget.