U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has initiated a facial biometric test for inbound vehicle travelers at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry in Buffalo, New York. This new process, called Simplified Arrival-Vehicle Biometric, aims to automate the manual document checks required for entry into the United States using facial biometrics.
"CBP is excited to continue testing a range of facial biometric technologies and configurations in the vehicle lanes at the land borders to further innovate the entry process," stated Diane J. Sabatino, Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner of Field Operations at CBP. She emphasized that the agency is seeking optimal solutions for enhancing security and streamlining travel.
The technology will be implemented in lanes 14, 15, and 16 at the Peace Bridge POE, marked as "Biometric." Cameras will capture photos of vehicle occupants and match them with existing government-held images like passports or visas to verify identities. Travelers who prefer not to participate can choose non-biometric lanes.
This test will run until March 2025, after which CBP will assess its effectiveness in capturing quality images and matching them biometrically. The goal is to inform future enhancements for vehicle entry processing.
Previous tests have been conducted at various locations, including Anzalduas, Texas in 2018 and Nogales, Arizona this past summer. The current test in Buffalo provides an opportunity to evaluate performance under winter conditions.
The initiative aligns with CBP's Congressional mandate to record all foreign nationals entering and exiting the U.S. using biometrics. The addition of facial recognition aims to enhance security by ensuring accurate traveler identification while preventing fraudulent use of genuine documents.
The photo capture process is passive; no action is needed from travelers participating in the pilot program. CBP expects minimal impact on traffic flow due to this technology.
CBP assures privacy protection for all travelers involved. Photos of U.S. citizens using biometric lanes will be deleted within 12 hours post-entry inspection. Foreign nationals' photos are securely stored within DHS's Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT).
CBP describes itself as America's frontline law enforcement organization with over 65,000 personnel dedicated to protecting national security through innovation and collaboration.
For more details on CBP's biometric efforts, visit their official website.
