A memo from Attorney General Talauega Eleasalo Ale puts to rest a practice which has been going on at Pago Pago International Airport for many months: seizure of passports even for travelers with valid entry permits and travel documents.
In the April 21 memo, the AG says passports may be seized only for good cause. That is there must be a valid basis to believe that the traveler has entered American Samoa illegally.
“A traveler enters American Samoa illegally if he arrives without proper travel documents, including a valid copy of his entry permit, or “Ok to board” document.
The AG said if the traveler has a valid copy or original of has entry permit or on board and carries a valid passport, that traveler’s passport may not be confiscated at the airport.
And he added that concerns about travelers overstaying in American Samoa is not a good cause to seize passports.
KHJ News first reported on the confiscation of passports at the airport early this year when a businesswoman from Apia informed us that her passport was withheld at Tafuna after she checked through Immigration.
The woman’s local sponsor said that she had sent a 14-day permit for the woman who was only here for one day to shop.
A few weeks later a management employee for a company that has a local branch experienced the same thing.
The Attorney General told KHJ News that he did not approve the confiscation of passports.
But the businesswoman’s local counterpart said when he contacted Chief Immigration officer Tamasa Dennis Lutu, he confirmed that passports of foreigners here on entry permits were being confiscated inorder to address problems with overstayers.
In the AG’s memo, he said If a passport is seized at the airport, the Immigration officer who seized the passport and shift supervisor must submit a written report to him within 24 hours of the seizure explaining the basis of the seizure and location of the passport.
He said this policy does not apply to the seaport at this time given the lack of a scanner at the site.
