Biometrics have been used in border control environments for several  years. Challenges and Implications to Applying Biometrics at the Border

While biometric technology is currently available and used in a variety of  applications, questions remain regarding the technical and operational  effectiveness of biometric technologies in applications as large as border  control. In addition, before implementing any biometric border control  system, a number of other issues would have to be considered including:    The system’s effect on existing border control procedures and people. The system’s effect on privacy, convenience, and the economy. Introducing Technology Affects People and Procedures

The successful implementation of any technology depends not only on the  performance of the technology but also on the operational processes that  employ the technology and the people who execute them. The second decision, made at the ports of entry, is  whether to admit travelers into the country. System goals address the  system’s expected outcomes and are usually based on business or public  policy needs, which for a border control system could include items such  as binding a biometric feature to a person’s identity on a travel document,  identifying undesirable persons on a watch list, checking for duplicate  enrollments in the system, verifying identities at the borders, ensuring the  security of the biometric data, and ensuring the adequacy of privacy  protections. As we have noted, the desired benefit is the prevention of the entry of  travelers who are inadmissible to the United States. INS has  previously estimated that up to 60 percent of the 275,000 new illegal  immigrants a year do not present themselves at a port of entry to enter the  United States. These challenges include:    Integrity of the Inspections Process. The need to balance the dual  objectives of identifying those who should not be permitted entry into  the country and keeping traffic and trade flowing through the ports  creates potential weaknesses in the process that biometrics can help  resolve but not entirely. Providing Technology and Equipment to Inspectors. Access to Intelligence Information. In conclusion, biometric technologies are available today that can be used  for border security. Technology  and people must work together as part of an overall security process. Weaknesses In Screening Entrants Into The United States. Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Department of  Homeland Security.
Why GAO Did This Study

One of the primary missions of the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) focuses on border control--preventing the illegal entry of people and goods into the United States. Part of this mission is controlling the passage of travelers through official ports of entry into the United States. Facilitating the flow of people while preventing the illegal entry of travelers requires an effective and efficient process that authenticates a traveler's identity. Generally, identifying travelers at the ports of entry is performed by inspecting their travel documents, such as passports and visas, and asking them questions. Technologies called biometrics can automate the identification of individual travelers by one or more of their distinct physiological characteristics. Biometrics have been suggested as a way of improving the nation's ability to determine whether travelers are admissible to the United States.

What GAO Found

GAO found that biometric technologies are available today that can be used for border control. However, questions remain regarding the technical and operational effectiveness of biometric technologies in applications as large as border control. Before implementing any biometric border control system, a number of other issues would have to be considered, including the system's effect on existing border control procedures and people, the costs and benefits of the system, and the system's effect on privacy, convenience, and the economy. Furthermore, technology is only part of the solution. Effective security requires technology and people to work together to implement policies, processes, and procedures. At land border ports of entry, DHS faces several challenges including ensuring that the inspections process has sufficient integrity to enable inspectors to intercept those who should not enter our country, while still facilitating the entry of lawful travelers; ensuring that inspectors have the necessary technology, equipment, and training to do their job efficiently and effectively; and providing inspectors the access to necessary intelligence information.