Bill Overview
Title: SECURE Flights Act of 2022
Description: of 2022 This bill prohibits the use of warrants and other documents issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as proof of identification at airport security checkpoints unless the individual is leaving the United States pursuant to immigration laws. If an individual uses prohibited documents as a proof of identification, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) must (1) inform ICE and local law enforcement to determine whether the individual is in violation of any term of release, and (2) collect the individual's biometric information unless the TSA can verify the individual is a U.S. national. The TSA must also submit the biometric information to a national biometric identification system.
Sponsors: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Target Audience
Population: People using ICE documentation for airport identity verification
Estimated Size: 1000000
- The bill targets individuals who use ICE-issued documents as identification at airport security.
- These individuals are likely to be undocumented immigrants or those with specific immigration-related warrants.
- The bill is aligned with enforcement of immigration laws, particularly affecting those who are in the U.S. without legal status or facing immigration proceedings.
- Globally, the population affected is primarily concentrated in the U.S. as these are people interacting with the U.S. immigration system.
Reasoning
- The policy specifically targets undocumented immigrants or those involved in immigration proceedings who may try to use ICE-issued documents for airport identification. Thus, many of the interviews focus on individuals in these circumstances.
- The policy does not directly impact U.S. citizens as they do not need ICE documents for identification at TSA checkpoints.
- There is a significant concentration of immigrants without legal status in certain regions, such as California, Texas, and Florida, so simulating individuals from these areas is plausible.
- To emulate varied responses to the policy, a range of impacts (none, low, medium, high) were considered, depending on how directly the individual interacts with air travel and immigration documents.
- Well-being is affected by the policy through potential stress around travel, legal trouble, and disruptions in work or family relations.
Simulated Interviews
Housekeeper (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I try to avoid situations where my status might get checked, so this law doesn't affect me day-to-day.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Construction Worker (Houston, TX)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This makes it harder for me to travel for work. I'm worried about getting caught.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Restaurant Manager (Miami, FL)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy doesn't affect me as I'm a citizen and travel without issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Domestic Worker (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't fly much, so I don't think this will change anything for me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 25 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think this law is directed more at undocumented people. I have my green card, so I'm not worried.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Nanny (New York, NY)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm scared to travel, especially with my kids. This won't change much for me but feels intimidating.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
Freelancer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 31 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This law seems to target undocumented folks, not really affecting me unless I'm caught up by mistake.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Retail Worker (Dallas, TX)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried it could complicate my trips home, although I usually have the right documents.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
Retired (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 63 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy won't impact me, as I naturally follow travel regulations and use my passport.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 10 |
Small Business Owner (San Diego, CA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think this policy adds stress for those who don't know the ins and outs of travel requirements.
- I am usually updated on new travel regulations to avoid issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $30000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $40000000)
Year 2: $35000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $45000000)
Year 3: $40000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $50000000)
Year 5: $45000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $55000000)
Year 10: $60000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $70000000)
Year 100: $100000000 (Low: $90000000, High: $120000000)
Key Considerations
- The development and maintenance of biometric systems may require substantial initial investment and ongoing support.
- Coordination and data-sharing between agencies can create data privacy concerns and require careful management.
- The additional scrutiny at airports could lead to longer processing times and potential civil liberties concerns.