Recently, in applying to renew my membership in the program for expedited border crossings between the USA and Canada, I was informed that “Due to a significant increase in application volume, we are extending the grace period to allow you continued full benefits while U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is finalizing your renewal application.”

This grace period is now five years, which is the standard validity period of the NEXUS card between mandatory renewals, for which applicants are required to travel to the USA-Canada border for an in-person security interview.

If the current regime were truly concerned about border security, it would invest heavily in adequate staffing of CBP to ensure careful and timely review of applications for border privileges, rather than gutting DHS in a false claim of achieving “government efficiency.” “Safety,” “security,” “efficiency” and “justice” are merely trigger words, exploited by the regime to justify dismantling the systems that investigate and prosecute the true fraud, terrorism, criminality, nepotism, natural disasters and denial of equality, without which they may further impoverish the country and enrich the ruling billionaire class at the expense of the rest of us.

Christian Clough
South Portland