As reported yesterday in the Washington Examiner, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has implemented new technologies to better identify visa overstayers.
Using facial recognition and digital fingerprinting, John Wagner, deputy executive assistant commissioner of CBP’s Office of Field Operations, said the agency had “verified over 11,000 overstays so far using the biometric confirmation.” That’s 4,000 more than last year, a 57% increase.
Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, previously the CBP Commissioner, said all international airports in the United States should have a biometric entry/exit system in place by 2022.
An automated entry-exit system has been required since 1996, and a biometric exit/entry system was recommended by the 9/11 Commission and approved by Congress in 2004.
Said Wager:
“We have a responsibility to identify who’s who. We have a responsibility to identify whether someone is a U.S. citizen or not a U.S. citizen.”
Wagner said that at least five persons attempting to enter the United States with fake or borrowed passports were prevented using the facial recognition software.
See the full Washington Examiner story here.
