Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) praised top U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials at John F. Kennedy International Airport Thursdayafternoon after addressing concerns within the community when traveling abroad.
“I’m delighted to have met with top U.S. Customs officials to have an open dialogue about people from the Jewish community traveling abroad; we had a very productive meeting and they expressed their sincerity and willingness to cooperate on certain issues moving forward,” said Hikind, who met with Port Director to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Francis J. Russo, Assistant Port Director Dean Dimotsis, Rabbi Frelich and Community Liaison Chesky Klein.
Port Director Russo briefed Assemblyman Hikind on typical procedure, customs and currency reporting requirements from travelers after dozens of abuse cases were reported at Newark Airport in recent weeks. During the meeting, Russo reassured Hikind that the “CBP strives to gain an appreciation and recognition of the diversity of the traveling public. Regardless of how or when a traveler encounters a CBP officer, whether it is inbound or outbound, all officers are expected to treat people with dignity and respect.”
Added Russo: “We look forward to working with your staff to schedule future community engagements aimed at building and maintaining the public’s trust.”
Hikind is prepared to meet with top U.S. Customs officials at Newark Airport to have similar dialogue and address some of the same concerns.
{Matzav.com}
Thanks! As we know shidduchim in the frum world is one we trust and leave up to hashem completely. That means that many many pple end up doing overseas shidduchim. For many reasons; (someone who hasnt experienced it wont relate to it) the american spouse will want to have her husband get a green card and citizenship. Making it easier for them to travel back and forth for chagim and smachot and generally….. There is this fear though, every time you pass the border innocently if your spouse will be stopped or questioned for maybe being out or in for too long. When we know how busy our lives with the kids can be and how expensive it is to travel too often. This relationship with custom agents should and could be very helpful for pple in need in our community.
Not such a smart comment. If you travel with a non citizen spouse then you should know that if they are stopped it’s by the Immigration service & not by Customs. Kudos to the Assemblyman for always trying to help his fellow Jews,but this meeting had nothing to do with Green Cards