Starting Friday, a new regulation from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security requires all individuals traveling to the United States to be photographed upon entry and exit. Additionally, U.S. customs officials may also collect travelers’ fingerprints. These rules, effective as of Dec. 26, apply to all non-U.S. citizens, including Canadian travelers and diplomats. The DHS has been gathering biometric data from certain travelers entering the U.S. since 2004 but previously lacked a system to record this information upon departure.
According to the DHS, these measures aim to address national security threats such as terrorist activities, misuse of legitimate travel documents, overstay violations, and unauthorized presence in the country. While concerns have been raised about potential misuse of traveler data to monitor journalists or political opponents, the DHS clarified that the collected photos will not be utilized for widespread surveillance.
The department plans to retain this biometric data for up to 75 years. The implementation of this program will occur gradually over three to five years.
