TWIC round-upCard reader problems continue

Bad news for TWIC. Just two weeks ago we reported that DHS’s first attempt to begin enrolling employees, at the Wilmington, Delaware port, was suspended on its first day in the face of unexpected but unexplained technical problems. The problems forced authorities to acknowledge that the problems would take at least sixty days to fix — an estimate echoed by authorities in Virginia as well, who pushed back their initial enrollment period until late summer, with full implementation now not expected until the fall. “It’s certainly not an auspicious beginning,” said Delaware’s Lisa Himber. Now DHS is prepared to lay out the full extent of the problem, with DHS testimony scheduled for Tuesday explaining that the agency just does not have the card readers ready, CQ reported. “In the interim, workers seeking unescorted access to secure areas will present their cards to authorized personnel, who will compare the photo, inspect security features on the card, and evaluate the card for signs of tampering.” No timeline was given for when the problems, which result from saltwater contamination, will be resolved.