Coast Guard to collect biometric information from illegal migrants

The U.S. Coast Guard began a pilot program today to collect biometric information from illegal migrants interdicted while attempting to enter U.S. territory through the Mona Passage — a body of water between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. The Coast Guard will compare the digital fingerprints and photographs of illegal migrants against the US-VISIT database, which includes information about wanted criminals, immigration violators, and those who previously encountered government authorities. Those attempting to enter the United States and its territories illegally are prosecuted under U.S. law in conjunction with bilateral agreements in effect.

“The Coast Guard’s role in maritime border security is to support the national policy of orderly, safe and legal migration while ensuring safety of life at sea,” said Admiral Thad Allen, the commandant of the Coast Guard. “Since 9/11, it has become increasingly important to know who is attempting to gain access to the United States, and this project gives us the means to positively identify and take appropriate actions regarding individuals intercepted at sea.”

Robert Mocny, acting director of the US-VISIT program, added: “Biometrics make it virtually impossible to use forged documents or claim a fraudulent identity. The Coast Guard’s comparison of biometrics collected at sea to those collected through the US-VISIT program will greatly enhance our ability to intercept those who pose a threat to national security.”

The partnership between the Coast Guard and US-VISIT is part of an effort to further the broader objective to develop a biometric mobile solution for DHS. The US-VISIT program is a continuum of biometrically-enabled security measures which collect biometric and biographic information from travelers at U.S. visa-issuing posts around the world, and upon their arrival in the United States at air, sea and land border ports of entry.

-read more at DHS Web site