A New Version of the Laptop Ban Is Coming to Mexico

The laptop ban may have ended in the Middle East, but it has moved to Mexico—in a way.

According to Mexico’s Transportation Department, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued stricter regulations for electronics on flights between the U.S. and Mexico. This announcement comes amid news today that the laptop for Middle East countries has ended.

The U.S.-Mexico flight regulations aren’t exactly a full-out ban on having laptops in plane cabins, though. There will just be more intense scrutiny over electronics larger than a phone. The devices will need to be separated from the rest of travelers’ luggage for security clearance, with no covers or any other protection. Mexico’s civil aviation authority suggested that travelers should arrive at airports three hours before departure in order to meet the stricter regulations, CNN reported.

No other information on the reason behind the increased scrutiny for Mexico-U.S. flights was given—Mexico is only following requirements from the U.S. On June 28, though, Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly said that moving forward, every international flight coming into the U.S. would be subject to increased security checks on electronics.

“They will include enhanced screening of electronic devices, more thorough passenger vetting, and new measures designed to mitigate the potential threat of insider attacks,” Kelly told the Council for New American Security Conference.

Kelly intends to introduce the enhanced security measures over time, working with international partners, rather than all at once—though some of the security enhancements are set to be implemented immediately, as of his June 28 speech.

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