Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP) has introduced facial comparison technology for arriving U.S. citizens on international flights, becoming the 12th U.S. airport or port of entry to deploy the Enhanced Passenger Processing (EPP) system. The implementation, developed through collaboration between the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), aims to speed up identity verification while maintaining security standards at one of the nation’s busiest airports.
New Process for U.S. Citizens Arriving Internationally
The EPP system uses auto-capture cameras to take a live image of the traveler and compare it to existing government photos, such as passport records. The process is similar to systems in place at other major airports like JFK, where facial recognition kiosks are already established for inbound travelers.
According to CBP, its Traveler Verification Service has demonstrated “more than 98 percent” accuracy in matching travelers to their documents. Passengers arriving at MSP may opt out of facial recognition and choose traditional document inspection if they prefer.
The rollout comes during a period of record international traffic for MSP. In 2024, the airport handled more than 3.5 million international passengers, including nearly 1.8 million arrivals. Authorities expect the EPP technology to help reduce processing times, allowing travelers to move through customs more efficiently and improving connections to onward flights.
LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director of Field Operations for CBP’s Chicago Field Office, emphasized the benefits of the new system. “Enhanced Passenger Processing leverages facial biometrics to further secure and enhance the traveler experience for U.S. citizens while staying true to our enforcement mandate. Travelers arriving at MSP will feel the benefits of this enhanced process — secure identity verification, shorter wait times, more efficient processing through Customs, and the improved ability to make connecting flights,” she said in a statement published by the Metropolitan Airports Commission.
Privacy, Oversight, and Broader Trends
While EPP is new to MSP, facial recognition technology itself is not. CBP completed deployment of its Simplified Arrival program at all U.S. international airports in 2022, using facial comparison technology for non-U.S. travelers and other categories of passengers. The EPP program adds a similar capability specifically for U.S. citizens entering the country.
CBP has policies to address privacy concerns. Photos of U.S. citizens captured during facial comparison are deleted within 12 hours, while images of foreign nationals may be retained for longer under Department of Homeland Security protocols. Travelers have the right to decline facial comparison and undergo manual inspection instead.
Despite these measures, biometric screening remains the focus of ongoing debate. Civil liberties organizations and some lawmakers have raised concerns about privacy, data security, and potential errors or bias in facial recognition systems. Reports from oversight bodies, including the Government Accountability Office and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General, continue to scrutinize how these technologies are deployed and regulated at U.S. ports of entry.
The new system at MSP reflects a broader trend of expanding biometric screening at borders and airports. In addition to airports, CBP has also expanded biometric partnerships internationally, including recent collaborations with Costa Rica aimed at enhancing security and streamlining travel processes.
Sources: Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal, Fox9
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
