Immigration + Biometric Entry/Exit
Biometric technologies are essential to securing U.S. borders, enforcing immigration laws, and facilitating the safe and efficient movement of legitimate travelers.
Background
Congress first mandated an automated system to match the arrival and departure records of visitors at U.S. ports of entry in 1996, reinforcing the requirement with biometric-specific provisions in the PATRIOT Act (2001), the Border Security Act (2002), the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act (2002), and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (2004).
While biometric entry processing has been operational since 2004 and has proven highly effective—CBP’s facial comparison system has processed over 119 million travelers and prevented more than 1,100 imposters from entering the country using genuine travel documents—full implementation of a biometric exit capability was delayed for years.
Only biometric verification can conclusively tie a travel credential to the person physically present; systems based solely on biographic data such as names and birthdates cannot reliably detect imposters or confirm departures.
IBIA Position
IBIA Position
IBIA strongly supports the use of biometrics at both entry and exit as mandated by Congress—to secure our borders, enable enforcement of immigration laws, and prevent criminals and terrorists from entering or leaving the United States undetected.
IBIA’s key positions on this issue include:
The creation of a comprehensive biometric exit system at U.S. ports of entry is a long-overdue security enhancement. The proven success of biometric entry processing provides a strong value proposition for a fully operational counterpart exit system that would shore up data on visa overstays and close remaining gaps in border enforcement.
IBIA opposes legislation—such as the Traveler Privacy Protection Act (S. 1691 in the 119th Congress)—that would unnecessarily restrict or ban TSA's and CBP's use of facial biometrics for traveler document verification and identity confirmation. Such measures would weaken highly successful security programs, create additional security risks, limit future innovation, and compromise programs that have improved the travel experience for millions of U.S. air travelers.
Identity verification performed by TSA at security checkpoints and by CBP at ports of entry in the course of their legal obligations is not surveillance. These programs compare a traveler's live photo to photos from passports, visas, and other government-issued documents to confirm identity—a legally required function that enhances both security and convenience.
Biometric systems like CBP's Simplified Arrival and TSA's self-service credential verification stations speed processing, reduce close physical interactions between travelers and officers, increase accuracy, and improve the overall passenger experience. Cruise line debarkation times have been reduced by as much as 30 percent through the use of facial recognition, with corresponding improvements in passenger satisfaction.
IBIA members possess the technical expertise to support the design, development, and deployment of secure, convenient, and reliable biometric solutions at both entry and exit, and IBIA is committed to facilitating open dialogue among all stakeholders, including government agencies, Congress, and the traveling public.
Resources
Resources
- IBIA/SIA Comment Letter: Security Concerns Regarding S. 1691 (July 29, 2025)
- Incorporating Biometric Technology in Aviation: The Journey to Touchless U.S. Air Travel (July 4, 2020)
- Closing the Loop—Completing Biometric U.S. Entry-Exit (March 2016)
- IBIA/SIA Letter Supporting H.R. 399 Biometric Exit Data Systems Provisions (January 20, 2015)
