Nine US Congresspersons have jointly written to the Customs authority to support Taiwan's application to join the US border preclearance program. Inclusion in the program would expedite travel from Taiwan to the US.
The Congresspersons include five senators and four members of the House of Representatives led by Republican Senator Marco Rubio.
The letter said that by conducting immigration and customs screening at the point of departure, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) preclearance can stop travelers who are inadmissible to the U.S. before they board their flight, while legitimate travelers are able to bypass long waiting lines upon arrival.
They noted that all of the current preclearance facilities abroad are located in Canada, the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East. They said, "Taiwan is an outstanding choice for the next CBP preclearance facility" because the Indo-Pacific region is a critical region for the economic future of the United States.
They also said, "Taiwan is America's ninth-largest trading partner and its government strongly supports Taoyuan airport's bid for the preclearance facility program."