[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 4, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 6044-6045]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-02318]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Transportation Security Administration

19 CFR Chapter I

49 CFR Chapter XII


Notification of Arrival Restrictions Applicable to Flights 
Carrying Persons Who Have Recently Traveled From or Were Otherwise 
Present Within the People's Republic of China

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Transportation 
Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notification of arrival restrictions.

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SUMMARY: This document announces the decision of the Secretary of the 
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to direct all flights to the 
United States carrying persons who have recently traveled from, or were 
otherwise present within, the People's Republic of China to arrive at 
one of the United States airports where the United States Government is 
focusing public health resources to implement enhanced screening 
procedures. For purposes of this document, a person has recently 
traveled from the People's Republic of China if that person has 
departed from, or was otherwise present within, the People's Republic 
of China (excluding the special autonomous regions of Hong Kong and 
Macau) within 14 days of the date of the person's entry or attempted 
entry into the United States. Also, for purposes of this document, 
crew, and flights carrying only cargo (i.e., no passengers or non-
crew), are excluded from the measures herein.

DATES: The arrival restrictions begin at 5 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 
2, 2020; and continue until cancelled or modified by the Secretary of 
DHS and notification is published in the Federal Register of such 
cancellation or modification.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alyce Modesto, Office of Field 
Operations, 202-344-3788.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is closely 
monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) 
coronavirus first identified in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. 
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in many 
different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. 
Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between 
people such as with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe 
Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
    The potential for widespread transmission of this virus by infected 
individuals seeking to enter the United States threatens the security 
of our transportation system and infrastructure, and the national 
security. In an abundance of caution and to assist in preventing the 
introduction and spread of this communicable disease in the United 
States, DHS, in coordination with the CDC and other Federal, state and 
local agencies charged with protecting the American public, is 
implementing enhanced arrival protocols to ensure that all travelers 
with recent travel from the People's Republic of China are provided 
public health services. Entry screening is part of a layered approach 
used with other public health measures already in place to detect 
arriving travelers who are exhibiting overt signs of illness, reporting 
of ill travelers by air carriers during travel, and referral of ill 
travelers arriving at a U.S. port of entry by U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) to appropriate public health officials to slow and 
prevent the spread of communicable disease into the United States.
    To ensure that travelers with recent travel from the People's 
Republic of China are screened, DHS directs that all flights to the 
United States carrying persons who have recently traveled from, or were 
otherwise present within, the People's Republic of China arrive at 
airports where enhanced public health services and protocols are being 
implemented. While DHS anticipates working with air carriers to 
identify potential persons from the affected area prior to boarding, 
air carriers shall comply with the requirements of this document.

Notification of Arrival Restrictions Applicable to All Flights Carrying 
Persons Who Have Recently Traveled From or Were Otherwise Present 
Within the People's Republic of China

    Pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 1433(c), 19 CFR 122.32, 49 U.S.C. 114, and 49 
CFR 1544.305 and 1546.105, DHS has the authority to limit the location 
where all flights entering the U.S. from abroad may land. Under this 
authority and effective at 5 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 2, 2020, I 
hereby direct all operators of aircraft to ensure that all flights 
carrying persons who have recently traveled from, or were otherwise 
present within, the People's Republic of China only land at one of the 
following airports:

 John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York;
 Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Illinois;
 San Francisco International Airport (SFO), California;
 Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Washington;
 Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Hawaii;
 Los Angeles International Airport, (LAX), California; or
 Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), 
Georgia.

    This direction considers a person to have recently traveled from 
the People's Republic of China if that person departed from, or was 
otherwise present within, the People's Republic of China (excluding the 
special autonomous regions of Hong Kong and Macau) within 14 days of 
the date of the person's entry or attempted entry into the United 
States. Also, for purposes of this document, crew, and flights carrying 
only cargo (i.e., no passengers or non-crew), are excluded from the 
measures herein. This direction is subject to any changes to the 
airport landing destination that may be required for aircraft and/or 
airspace safety as directed by the Federal Aviation Administration.
    This list of affected airports may be modified by the Secretary of 
Homeland Security in consultation with the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services and the Secretary of Transportation. This list of 
affected airports may be modified by an updated publication in the 
Federal Register or by posting an advisory to follow at www.cbp.gov. 
The restrictions will remain in effect until superseded, modified, or 
revoked by publication in the Federal Register.
    For purposes of this Federal Register document, ``United States'' 
means the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, and 
territories and

[[Page 6045]]

possessions of the United States (including Puerto Rico, the Virgin 
Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Trust 
Territory of the Pacific Islands, and Guam).

Chad F. Wolf
Acting Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2020-02318 Filed 1-31-20; 5:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 9111-14-P