US Customs expanding airport presence in foreign countries

US border security officials are expanding operations to over a dozen foreign airports.

The Department of Homeland Security has expanded a program of checking passengers at foreign airports before boarding a plane bound for the United States in the wake of recent attempted bombings, reported the New York Times.

After exiting the plane, passengers would not have to be checked again by US border officials.

The Consumerist pointed out that no plots have been foiled by these programs as terrorists would likely be aware of the new American presence.

The controversial plan would mean armed US law enforcement potentially denying or detaining passengers on their own soil.

It remains unclear what rights passengers would have in such situations.

“It’s a really big deal — it would be like us saying you can have foreign law enforcement operating in a U.S. facility with all the privileges given to law enforcement, but we are going to do it on your territory and on our rules,” secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano told the New York Times.

“So you flip it around, and you realize it is a big deal for a country to agree to that. It is also an expensive proposition.”

Ireland and Canada already have armed US border security in their airports checking passengers before boarding.

Fourteen countries have so far joined or plan to join the program, reported Newser.

Abu Dhabi has already agreed to build a special terminal where US officers will be stationed for flights to the United States.

The program currently costs about $115 million per year.

There are about 80 million passengers a year who travel to the United States from 300 airports around the world.

Canada and Mexico represent nearly 60 percent of visitors from abroad.

In the past two years 500 people have been deemed security risks and turned away or detained, while another 18000 people have been denied entry into the United States for other reasons.