U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has rolled out an expansion of its Reporting Offsite Arrival-Mobile (ROAM) app, allowing non-Akwesasronon individuals to report their arrival virtually instead of in-person at the Rooseveltown, N.Y., port of entry. This is particularly relevant for those traveling from Kana
(St. Regis) to Tsi Snaihne (Snye), or nearby areas, all technically located in Quebec.
The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (the Canadian portion of Akwesasne) and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (the U.S. portion) have been informing the community about this recent change, which will benefit both visitors to Akwesasne and non-Akwesasne residents who work within the community. The CBP has extended the ROAM app’s coverage to include the two districts within Akwesasne Territory.
While Akwesasronon are permitted to move freely between the Quebec districts and New York State without reporting to U.S. Customs, non-Akwesasne residents are required to report to the nearest port of entry when entering New York from those districts.
For instance, a non-Akwesasne employee teaching in schools at Kana
and Tsi Snaihne would previously have had to stop at the Rooseveltown port of entry on their way home to Cornwall to report their arrival in New York, despite merely transiting through. Now, those individuals can report via the new ROAM app instead.
Another example involves a Cornwall resident attending a winter carnival in Tsi Snaihne; they would report at the CBP port of entry at the south end of the Seaway International Bridge in Massena. However, there is currently no way to report re-entering Canada upon arriving at the carnival. On their return trip, that Cornwallite should travel from Tsi Snaihne to the port of entry in Rooseveltown, then return to Cornwall and report to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) port of entry in Cornwall.
Understanding the boundaries of Akwesasne can be complex for outsiders or even long-time residents of Cornwall/SDG. The requirement to stop in Rooseveltown is likely the most misunderstood rule of all—many travelers are unaware of this stipulation.
Since the CBSA port of entry moved to Cornwall, the reporting requirement for those coming from Akwesasne south of the St. Lawrence River into Kawehno
now includes a similar loop—those entering the island from the south are required to report to CBSA in Cornwall before returning to the island. The MCA has lobbied for a remote-reporting station on the island, but CBSA has yet to implement this idea.
The CBP states that the new reporting option provides greater flexibility and convenience, saving travelers time by allowing them to check in from any location using a compatible device with mobile data or Wi-Fi. The app is available for download on Apple/iOS and Android devices under “CBP ROAM.” Travelers can create a profile and submit their information for a CBP video conference while still in Canada, with the ability to save this information for future crossings.
Travelers without access to the ROAM app can continue to report at the nearest port of entry.
