U.S. Customs and Border Protection revoked security clearances from immigrant airport workers, costing dozens their jobs

On June 30, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection notified Logan International Airport cabin cleaner Saint Paul Paul, a Haitian Temporary Protected Status holder, that his "customs seal" security clearance was revoked because he posed an "unacceptable risk" — despite his holding a valid Employment Authorization Document. Paul's revocation was one of at least 80 at Logan Airport, and hundreds more nationwide, carried out since shortly after the January 2025 inauguration under a newly narrowed CBP interpretation of "authorized residency" that requires lawful permanent presence rather than a valid work permit.

The seal renewal process had been "straightforward" for years, according to the workers' later lawsuit, until CBP abruptly began denying renewals to workers who had never previously had background-check issues. Additional workers were affected at airports in New York, Orlando, San Francisco, and Houston, despite holding valid green cards, asylum status, or Temporary Protected Status and having no prior issues or change in their immigration status. A CBP spokesperson later confirmed the agency now interprets "authorized residency" to require lawful permanent presence, and defended the change as necessary to safeguard national security.

Updates

2026-03-13 — SEIU and four workers sued CBP over the credential revocations [2]

SEIU Local 32BJ and four former Logan International Airport workers, including Paul, sued the Trump administration, alleging the revocations violated CBP's own regulations, federal statute, and due process protections. Named plaintiffs also included a 27-year Logan employee and another Temporary Protected Status holder who lost their jobs after their seals were denied on renewal despite no change in their immigration status.