All individuals traveling to the United States will now be photographed before entering or leaving the country starting Friday, according to a new regulation from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
In some cases, U.S. customs officials will also be able to capture travelers’ fingerprints.
These requirements take effect on Dec. 26 and apply to all non-U.S. citizens, including Canadian travelers and diplomats.
DHS said it has been collecting biometric data from certain travelers entering the U.S. since 2004 but indicated that there was no system in place to record this information when people left the country.
In a document published on Oct. 27, DHS argued that these measures are necessary to address national security concerns, such as “terrorist threats, fraudulent use of legitimate travel documents, foreigners who remain in the United States beyond their authorized stay, or who are present in the United States without having been admitted.”
Concerns have been raised about the possibility of using traveler data to track journalists or political opponents. DHS has assured that the photos will not be used for “blanket surveillance.”
“The biometric entry and exit system is not a surveillance program,” the department said in the same document.
DHS will retain this personal data for up to 75 years.
The program will be rolled out gradually and is expected to be completed within three to five years.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
