DHS Audit Reveals Gaps in Biometric Screening of Asylum Seekers and Noncitizens

A recent audit by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) has revealed critical gaps in the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) use of biometric technology for screening and vetting asylum seekers and noncitizens entering the United States.

Despite deploying new technologies to enhance traveler processing, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) face significant challenges that undermine the effectiveness of these measures.

CBP has implemented systems such as Simplified Arrival, which uses facial recognition for real-time traveler identification, and Unified Secondary, a system designed to streamline secondary inspections. But the audit found that CBP’s access to vital biometric data from the Department of Defense’s Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) is limited.

This restriction hampers CBP’s ability to perform comprehensive screenings, as it cannot inspect all biometric records necessary for identifying potential threats.

The audit also identified inconsistent biometric inspection practices at land ports of entry, where officers often only verify vehicle drivers, leaving passengers unchecked. Moreover, CBP currently lacks the technology to perform biometric matching for travelers in vehicles, relying instead on manual document checks, which reduces the accuracy and efficiency of the screening process.

USCIS also faces significant hurdles in its use of biometric technology. According to the audit, USCIS has failed to conduct regular interim biometric screenings for over 400,000 asylum applicants whose cases are still pending, with some cases being delayed for several years. This lack of continuous biometric screening increases the risk of not identifying asylum seekers who might pose security threats.

The OIG report includes several recommendations to improve DHS’s biometric screening capabilities. The recommendations emphasize enhancing data sharing with the Department of Defense, standardizing biometric inspection practices, and automating security checks for asylum applicants. DHS has agreed with the recommendations and is working to address these critical issues.

Source: DHS

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June 24, 2024 – by Ali Nassar-Smith