The US is expanding the use of facial recognition at border controls. Authorities may also ask for other biometric data
Facial recognition Photo: Wavebreakmedia Ltd IFE-250620 / Alamy / Profimedia
The US will expand the use of facial recognition technology to monitor the entry and exit of foreign nationals in and out of the country in order to combat overstays and passport fraud, according to a government document published on Friday and cited by Reuters.
A new regulation, which expands a previous pilot program and will take effect on December 26, will allow border authorities to ask foreign nationals to be photographed at airports, ports, border crossings and any other points of exit from the country.
Also, the US authorities can ask for other biometric data, such as fingerprints or DNA.
The regulation also authorizes the use of facial recognition in the case of children under 14 years old and the elderly over 79 years old, groups exempted until now.
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The Congressional Research Service estimated in 2023 that about 42 percent of the 11 million immigrants in the United States remained in the country illegally after their visas expired.
Congress passed a law in 1996 mandating the creation of an automated entry-exit system, but it was never fully implemented.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) already uses facial recognition for all commercial flight entries, but exits only from certain locations.
CPB estimates that a biometric entry-exit system can be fully implemented at all commercial airports and ports, for both entries and exits, within the next 3-5 years.
