Originally Posted by
ESpen36
Did you just walk your child through after you completed GE kiosk formalities for yourself? If so, then you indeed violated procedures, because your child would never have legally entered the United States (i.e. the child's passport was not scanned, until the officer caught you at the exit).
If you are traveling with somebody (even an infant) who is not eligible to use the kiosks, that person MUST go through regular passport control processing, including filling out a paper customs declaration. YES...even if it is your child and he or she is accompanying you. YES....even if that child is too young to fill out forms or travel without assistance. CBP needs to document the entry of every person into the United States, regardless of age.
Passport control is an individual processing. Customs is one paper form per family if using regular processing, but is individual processing for GE members using the kiosks.
You were in the wrong here. The CBP officers were correct, and you could have lost your GE membership then and there. And, frankly, it could have been a lot worse. In essence, you attempted to smuggle your child (could have been ANY child) into the United States without completing any entry formalities for the minor. There would have been no formal record of your child's return to the United States. I'm not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure that is a federal offense (violation of immigration regulations; even worse because a minor is involved).
You might be red-flagged in the future.
Nice legal conclusions but I am still searching for supporting material. So far I have reviewed the entire GOES website (both logged in and logged out) and can't find anything that discusses the subject of whether children can enter with a parent (which as others have noted was previously permitted). The closest topic is "Eligibility" which notes that "Applicants under the age of 18 must have the consent of a parent to participate" and Application Process which states that "Every individual who applies for Global Entry - including children - must create an individual GOES account" which of course begs the question. The only procedures that are outlined specify what to do at the GOES kiosk - they don't address family members. I could not find any agreement, any terms and conditions, nothing except a requirement that I comply with all the GOES rules (which I did - I did not answer any questions falsely on either the application or at the kiosk).
I take issue your bold assertion that I somehow tried to "smuggle my child into the US". First of all she is a US citizen and constitutionally entitled to enter the US as she wishes. Second as others have noted she would not even be asked to show ID at a land border. Third her entry was open and notorious, not hidden from anyone and I specifically mentioned it to the CBP officer who took my form.
I will certainly do my best to follow the rules but CBP needs to update its website and kiosk so that everyone knows the rules.