US Lawmaker Seeks Government-Wide Audit of IDEMIA Identity Contracts

US Representative Josh Gottheimer has asked two federal agencies to conduct a government-wide audit of IDEMIA’s identity-system contracts, citing concerns raised by a New Jersey motor vehicle software malfunction. The request covers the company’s work with agencies including the Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Defense.

Gottheimer sent the request to General Services Administration head Edward Forst and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought. He asked them to review IDEMIA’s federal contracts, assess security and reliability, and determine whether additional safeguards or procurement action are required.

The letter follows a disclosure by New Jersey officials that a Motor Vehicle Commission software malfunction mistakenly registered approximately 6,600 noncitizens who applied for licenses or identity cards between June 2023 and June 2024. Gottheimer’s release connects the incident to IDEMIA’s role as a technology provider, but the audit request does not establish responsibility or show that a federal investigation has begun.

IDEMIA provides identity and biometric systems to public agencies in the United States. Gottheimer cited the TSA’s Universal Enrollment Services program, biometric entry and exit systems at the border, fingerprint submissions to the FBI, and identity operations supporting the Defense Department. He also said the company supplies driver-license technology in 36 states.

The scope would cross several identity domains with different risks and operating models. The Department of Homeland Security has published accuracy results for federal facial recognition programs, while TSA enrollment services manage identity vetting for programs such as TSA PreCheck. Border and defense deployments add further requirements around matching, data sharing and system availability.

At state level, New Jersey has also faced scrutiny over the governance of biometric systems. The state’s Supreme Court has required disclosure of police facial recognition use in criminal cases, reflecting broader demands for traceability when automated identity tools influence government decisions.

Gottheimer’s request asks federal procurement overseers to examine IDEMIA’s performance across contracts rather than limit their review to the New Jersey malfunction. Any resulting audit would need to distinguish among the company’s products, agency configurations and operational responsibilities instead of treating them as a single system.

Sources: Office of Rep. Josh Gottheimer

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By the ID Tech Editorial Team