It's an issue caused by a recent software update. The administrators are aware of it.

Please refer to the Technical Support and Feedback forum.

If flying within Canada or from Canada to the US, the card can be useful. It will get you into CATSA "Trusted Traveller" screening lines, and sometimes people are asked to show it in order to access NEXUS/Global Entry lines at US preclearance.

According to the wiki:
So if I am returning to the Port of Miami and want to take advantage of the GE lane, I will need my GE card? Anyone tried this in Miami?

I am at HNL right now. After processed in the GE kiosk, but the CBP agent at the counter actually asked me for the the GE card which I didn't bring.
I told her that I was told the card is not needed. But she asked me to go back to the regular lane.

I saw my photo was in her screen and showing green.
I pointed her my photo in her screen, she finally let me in.

This is my first time got asked for the card.

You need an ID. Passport/GE/NEXUS card . However you don't need the GE/NEXUS card.

As you pointed out, agent shouldn’t have asked for it.

There is no passport exemption for trusted travelers entering US at HNL. Passport is required by both airline and CBP.

Years ago, a CBP agent at MSP asked for my GE card before clearing me in via GE. She was both young and new to the job there and not long thereafter I never saw her working there again. She was also the same CBP employee who on a previous trip was working as a line controller for CBP at MSP (and in a CBP uniform that time too) and had been asking to see docs to direct us to different counters. Neither time should have the card been required, but getting asked for it happened anyway.

Even if not officially required, there would seem to be little downside in bringing one's Global Entry (GE) card when travelling.

The good news is it's a legal "Real ID" and nothing on it is sensitive information unlike your driver's license.

Crossed the border at TJ today, GE got me to the head of the insanely long line but had trouble w the agents as according to them my card was not active. They could not understand how i could have gone thru the airports as Ive done in the past few years.

Got pulled out, sent to some office, heavy inspection, and GE card confiscated.

Had no idea any activation was required.....now I am worried I will lose the GE for violating rules. What a bunch of crap, how is anyone supposed to know this?

The instructions that come with the card are quite clear that it needs to be activated.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...6fc7162a2d.jpg

Thank you for sharing your embarrassing oversight so those of us who have never had Global Entry (GE) are less likely to make this same mistake. :tu:

I have a NEXUS card, which requires you to show the physical card for NEXUS specific privileges, like using NEXUS lanes or crossing the US-Canada border without a passport. In other respects, the program is administered by the same Trusted Traveler folks at DHS that administer GE (and include GE privileges in addition to NEXUS only ones), the instructions posted by TWA884 look the same as for NEXUS, the cards themselves look the same except for the title on top. I would not have dreamed of crossing into Canada or back into the US with an unactivated card. I guess because GE mostly works with passport use and you don't show the card to get the primary GE privileges, the card could just be considered a kind of swag and something to flash to get head of line privileges. Well, at border crossings to get head of line privileges you have to show the card which will be used as your ID, not your passport, just like NEXUS. That you ran into trouble when CBP ran an unactivated card is completely unsurprising to me.

The DHS Trusted Traveler programs are famously sticklers for rules and it is likely your GE status is endangered. The fact that the card was confiscated indicates your GE privileges were likely suspended right then and will probably remain so until you take some action to get them restored.

I hate to pile on "O"P, but they do make it pretty clear at several steps the card has to be activated; I'm not sure how that was missed.

Is my GE card activated?
 

Tried to check / activate my GE card at the CBP website but no joy. The activate button is not there when logged in.

Cannot recall if I activated it when I renewed in 2021.

From the comments better not to try and present it at border crossings if activation status is unclear.

Jim