Passport Cancellations

A new trend is emerging of the Department of State cancelling passports while the American citizen using their passport is outside of the United States.

Such cancellation, with no notice provided, can lead to numerous problems if you happen to be outside of the United States and with no other passport or right to be in whatever country you are in. For instance, you could be arrested and deported for not having a proper travel document depending on

According to an article, a few American citizens have found themselves with their passports cancelled for no apparent reason. One cancellation purportedly stemmed from a problem at a local passport agency. However, that agency did not know how the cancellation had occurred.

Another instance of passport cancellation was tracked to someone else erroneously entering their social security number in the Department of State's form used to report a stolen or lost passport. At best, this kind of error shows that the current process of reporting a lost or stolen passport needs improvement.

Based on an article on Wired.com, the government has reportedly cancelled membership in the Global Entry program based on presence at protests with no prior warning or any due process.

If you plan to take part or merely be present at a protest, speak to a lawyer first so that you have a better idea of your rights, your obligations, and possible consequences.