|
Biometric Identifiers Can Prove to Be Vital to Our Nation’s Maritime Security |
|
|
|
One of the greatest threats to the safety and security of
the American people is the penetration of our vast maritime borders by those
who wish to conduct terrorist attacks against the United States. Every year countless
illegal migrants gain entry to the United States through our maritime
borders. Among those who are caught, many are suspected to be repeat
immigration violators, violent criminals, smugglers and possibly even
terrorists. The problem is that we just don't know for sure who these people
are.
As it currently stands, most interdicted migrants simply
bounce off of existing DHS maritime protection efforts. This is largely because
the necessary infrastructure is not in place to absorb and collect crucial biometric
identifiers that could effectively track and prosecute individuals who are
immigration violators, wanted criminals or known threats to U.S. interests.
The technology and appropriate processes do exist to conduct the kind of mobile
biometric collection needed to blanket our maritime borders. The U.S. Coast
Guard currently uses mobile biometric units that capture an illegal migrant's
biometric information. The problem is that this is not fully deployed
throughout the DHS administered maritime border system.
Since starting its efforts in November 2006, the Coast Guard
has interdicted more than 21 vessels containing almost 600 undocumented aliens.
Approximately 22 percent of those interdicted were enrolled in US-VISIT as
prior felons or immigration violators. Just on the basis of these results
alone, the collection of biometric identifiers in a maritime environment can be
a critical tool to help interdict, identify and deter illegal waterborne
migrants.
That is why I have introduced legislation, H.R. 2490, which
would authorize DHS to conduct a pilot program for mobile biometric
identification in the maritime environment of aliens unlawfully attempting to
enter the United States.
H.R. 2490 would help put a stop to a recurring cycle of immigrants simply being
caught and released with little or no information as to their actual identity;
only for them to attempt illegal entry again, and again and again. By
empowering our maritime border officials with the necessary tools to collect
this critical biometric information, we can improve their ability to stop
repeat immigration offenders, arrest known criminals and smugglers and thwart
potential terrorists.
Of the biometric technologies so far deployed or tested by
border security agencies, fingerprints and face recognition are the most
commonly used, and iris scans are widely viewed as promising for future
applications. Ideally, as this pilot moves forward, the biometric collection
process and technology would innovate and expand. The security industry can
play a pivotal role in this process.
To this point, H.R. 2490 authorizes $10 million for the
pilot program, much of which likely will be used to help overcome technology
hurdles that currently prevent the timely transmission of electronic
information between Coast Guard cutters and various government databases.
Congress has a vital duty to provide for the protection of the people of the United States.
We know that our maritime borders are vulnerable because we cannot accurately
verify or screen those we catch trying to illegally penetrate it. My bill will
help provide additional tools and resources to strengthen maritime immigration
enforcement and begin to plug leaks which threaten to crack our homeland
defenses.
It is now up to Congress to act.
|
