Homeland Security Proposes Mandatory Face Scans for U.S. Citizens at Airports
The Department of Homeland Security proposes expanding facial recognition checks at U.S. airports to include American citizens, reversing a previous exemption. Civil liberties groups strongly condemn the plan, citing severe privacy and security concerns.
The Department of Homeland Security proposes a new rule that requires all travelers, including U.S. citizens, to undergo facial recognition scans when entering or leaving the country. Previously, these mandatory biometric checks apply only to foreign visitors as part of an effort to track visa overstays, while American citizens and green card holders enjoy an exemption from the invasive technology.
This proposed expansion draws immediate backlash from the American Civil Liberties Union, which accuses the government of breaking its promise to exempt citizens from the surveillance program. Civil rights advocates argue that forcing Americans to submit to biometric scans violates constitutional travel rights and raises profound privacy concerns regarding the mass collection of sensitive facial data.
Critics point to a recent data breach involving nearly 100,000 traveler photos as proof that the government cannot safely manage this highly sensitive biometric information. Despite these security vulnerabilities and public outrage, Customs and Border Protection moves forward with the rulemaking process and maintains a 2021 deadline to deploy facial recognition scanners at the top 20 U.S. airports.