Federal border agents test facial scanning to use on undocumented immigrants
Federal border agents are testing new facial recognition technology to help identify those who overstay visa limits and remain in the U.S., The New York Times reported Tuesday.
The pilot project is part of the government’s efforts to keep tabs on those who are already residing in the U.S. illegally, the newspaper reported.
The Department of Homeland Security estimates that 629,000 travelers to the country, or about 1 percent of all visitors coming to the U.S., did not leave after their visas expired last year alone.
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According to the report, border agents take photographs of foreign visitors and then use the software to check if the images match a facial scan that travelers submitted to Customs and Border Protection, either through their visa application or when they entered the U.S. The visitor’s identification is also run through and verified by both law enforcement and intelligence databases.
Both Democratic and Republican administrations have tried to apply technology such as facial scans and other biometric data collection instead of paper documents in an attempt to better secure the border.
“The technology has finally caught up to the legislative intent,” Christian Beckner, a former staff member on the Homeland Security Committee, told the Times.
President Trump signed an executive order in January that would require visitors to give biometric data both while coming and going. Currently, the practice is only occurring as travelers enter the U.S., the Times noted.
Homeland Security officials told the newspaper that this new biometric system, used to track visitors as they enter and exit the country, will help them in their efforts to combat illegal immigration.
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