CBP ENFORCING NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR NON-CITIZENS CROSSING BORDER STARTING THIS WEEK

By Daniel Sanchez Dorame
Excélsior

(In order to detect fraud and illegal stays, starting today, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) will require non-U.S. citizens to provide fingerprints, undergo iris and full-body scans, voice recordings, and in some cases, even DNA samples.)

NOGALES, Sonora. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that starting today, at all ports of entry and exit, Border Patrol agents will be required to collect biometric and genetic data from foreign nationals, with the goal of maintaining strict immigration control.

The program, officially named the Biometric Entry/Exit Program, is also known as the Final Rule.

The measure includes foreign nationals, tourists, and immigrants: those with visas, temporary work permits, permanent residents (green card holders), minors, and senior citizens—in other words, all non-U.S. citizens will be required to provide fingerprints, iris scans, full-body scans, voice recordings, and in some cases, even DNA samples for genetic identification.

The measure will particularly affect permanent residents, who will undergo more rigorous screening upon returning from or departing on trips, in order to detect fraud committed during the green card application process.

Agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will be required to collect biometric and genetic data at absolutely all ports of entry, by air, land, or sea: airports, seaports, and land border crossings, whether traveling on foot, by vehicle, or by private plane.

Until a few weeks ago, many of these entry procedures into the United States were done manually, and migrants with residency, temporary workers, and even some tourists took advantage of their visas to circumvent immigration laws and stay to work illegally. However, modern cameras with artificial intelligence, facial recognition, and biometric detection will make it more difficult for foreign nationals to enter and exit the country.

U.S. authorities have justified these measures as an effort to combat terrorist threats, the fraudulent use of travel documents, visitors overstaying their visas, and inaccurate or incomplete traveler information.

The Department of Homeland Security announced that the genetic and biometric information of foreign nationals will be stored in databases for 75 years. 

This action is in addition to the authorities' intention to require travelers to disclose up to five years of their social media history upon entering U.S. territory. The Trump administration's measure also applies to visitors from countries included in the Visa Waiver Program, which includes about twenty European countries and others such as Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Japan.

CBP (Customs and Border Protection) has advocated for the rule to include an updated list of the traveler's phone numbers from the last five years, IP addresses, and email addresses.

Fear of Stigma

One of the first negative effects of the new immigration directive was the drastic reduction in the number of Mexican nationals who visited Mexico this past holiday season.

Interviewed by Excélsior at the toll booths on Federal Highway Mexico 15, Mexican nationals coming from the U.S. to visit their loved ones in various parts of the country expressed distrust regarding their return because, even though they have already met the requirements under U.S. law to obtain legal residency with a green card, Latinos are judged by ICE and CBP agents based on their physical appearance, accent, or skin color, and are deported without hesitation despite having their papers and requirements in order.

Although the DHS intended for the measure to go into effect on December 26, immigration agents at various international land border crossings, such as the Port Director in Nuevo Laredo, have stated that they still do not know how the biometric data collection will be implemented.

“We have heard about this issue and the concerns of people who use the international ports of entry, but what I can tell you is that this law has already been passed and approved. What remains is to determine how it will be applied at land crossings. So far, we have not received any information or instructions on how we will do this (collect biometric and genetic data), but when we do, we will be ready to collect that information,” said Alberto Flores, head of the Laredo Field Office.

He assured that the land border crossings would not begin collecting data today. Among the potential inconveniences are additional delays, more frequent inspections, and initial confusion regarding the new procedures, especially for older individuals or travelers unfamiliar with biometric technology.

There is also the risk of technical errors, such as image capture failures, which would necessitate manual verification and could prolong the process.

In light of this new situation, Mexican travelers are advised to exercise extra caution in complying with the conditions of their visas.