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US Immigration Implements Biometric-based Border
scubacuda writes "The NY Times reports (free registration) that immigrations officials are putting in place a sophisticated new identification system that uses ID cards encrypted with digital photos, signatures, biographical information and fingerprints that have been issued by the State Department and the Immigration and Naturalization Service by the millions over the last five years. "With more information systems, there are more opportunities for abuse," said Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, which is pushing the government to release more information on its biometric plans."
This year's George Orwell award is going to whoever built this system? Well, congratulation!
TOo bad Orwell's novel was not "2004" I mean i realize it is 2003 but think of what it is going to be like next year.
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The most interesting (to me) comment in the article (which isn't elaborated further) is:
The legislation also requires foreign governments to use biometric technology in passports.
What if countries refuse? -- and I can't really see the rest of the world adding biometrics to their passports just becuase the US tells them to.
Being British, I don't currently require a visa for a short (up to 3 months?) visit to the US. I guess if Europe doesn't go along with these demands, I'm going to need a visa (which, presumably, will have biometrics embedded in it).
that famous American puppet-state, Australia, is doing the same thing.
Now all we need is some way to get all the illegal aliens to get this groovy new identification card...
Now if only the INS could manage to not screw up my friend's citizenship request.
If Mr. Edison had thought smarter he wouldn't sweat as much. --Nikola Tesla
It's an interesting change in the equation involving security and freedom; prior to September 11th, measures like this and the concentration of intelligence in one big department, and even things like the patriotic acts, would have been much more impopular. I live in a country (Portugal, in Europe) where citizens get an ID card when they are around 12. That would probably be considered inadequate and an invasion of privacy in the United States, but partly driven by the fear brought by the terrorist attacks and maybe also as a window of opportunity that politicians have taken advantage of, it is happening. I wonder what the sentiments of the majority of the population are.
any safer. Remember that the 911 terrorists had valid Saudi (and other) papers. This scheme would not have saved any lives had it been implemented before 911.
It smells like pork barrel to me.
Taped to the window was a very official looking green card for a Mrs. Janet Reno.
A firewall can not protect you from yourself. Turn off what you do not need. Do not use the firewall to do your work.
Once someone steals your identity, you can't change it like a PIN. So, if it has a loophole, you are fuX0Red.
I am not sure that this changes anything in that regard. In fact, it might make identity theft a bit harder if your credit card and social security card included biometric data.
The biggest problem with the Visa Waiver program is that when you leave the US (i.e. checking in for your flight) the Airlines (AFAIK) don't bother returning the waiver forms back to the immigration services.
I visited Canada a couple of weeks before my return home, on a maxxed out visit to the US (i.e. 88 days out of the 90 day max)... and talk about a breaking of balls exercise (i.e. they wanted to deport me thinking I'd broken the terms of my waiver when in fact I hadn't), it was not fun. I know it seems US immigration officers seem to have a personality bypass in general... but this was worse (they also give their own people shit when returning, must be the rush of authority). I think I also bore the brunt of the fact that 5 people with British passports came through the same border a week or two before (although I was being hunted by the FBI and pointed the finger at the others to try and avoid any interest in him).
The crux of it is, is that I ain't visiting the US for a year or two until I can get something a little more flexible than the Visa waiver... and I don't know what data they were putting in their computers when I got the 20 questions (in 30 seconds), you can never tell. Oh well, at least it is a big warmer back in Blighty than the east coast has been.
Are you local? There's nothing for you here!
The machines foiled a variety of sophisticated counterfeit attempts, officials said. Inspectors spotted cards on which the front photograph was changed to match the impostor, but the photograph encrypted in the back was still of the original person.
So remember folks, if the PATRIOT act 2 is passed, using encryption to change the ID picture will give you 5 years in jail on top of whatever other penelty! Hooray!
,
faeryman
From reading the article, it appears that the information on the card isn't stored in a central database, but is instead stored directly on the card in an encrypted form. Imagine the chaos if the encryption algorithm and key were discovered. Free entry for everyone!
...of that old Visa commercial, where the slightly shady-looking trenchcoat-wearing (stereotype - damn you Visa) guy walks into a futuristic supermarket, is tailed by the security guard, and walks around stuffing shit into his coat. And then as he's leaving, he's scanned, charged, and the guard reminds him to not forget his receipt.
Sorry, that's just immediately what it made me think of. Huge lines of people just stepping through biometric authenticator portals, being scanned, and shipped off on their way. Why don't they just put the freaking chip in the backs of our heads?
Informatus Technologicus
This project has been in the works for almost 10 years, starting with the INS Accellerated Passenger Program (INSPASS) that used hand-geometry encoded as OCR-A text on a credit-card.
Some time after that project, fingerprints were coupled with photos to track illegal aliens as they came across the border. So someone who got caught in El Paso would come up on the system in San Deigo.
I believe that was back in 1995 when I worked on those contracts.
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It seems as if the American government actually WANTS its 9 million illegal immigrants to drive down wages, suck up welfare disproporationately (bankrupting state governments like California), and completely change the demographics of the country to minority-white within decades.
They will spend millions of dollars on ID cards to hassle the honest immigrants, while thousands invade through our porous border every year. The only thing they should be spending money on right now is higher walls and more border guards, not ID cards.
In fact, it's gotten so bad, we should use the money to send our troops to the US-Mexico border before instead of Iraq. America is overpopulated as it is, and we don't need ILLEGAL immigration turning us into a third world country.
Economic Costs of Illegal Immigration
it is an imigration tool. if you are here on a temporary visa then you should be tracked while you are in the country....why should a visa holder be trusted? yes I sound paranoid but think about it...if you let strange people into your house everyday so they can use the phone or the bathroom would you not watch them to make sure they actualy go in the bathroom and watch them while they are on the phone?
I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
National borders have used identification credentials (passports) with a second-factor biometric (photographs) for decades. The difference is that the old biometric was analog, and was performed manually by a customs agent, and the new one is digital.
The slashdot crowd should get up in arms about places where biometrics are used where governments/corporations have no right or requirement of knowing exactly who you are. Disneyland shouldn't need my fingerprint to sell me a ride on Magic Mountain.
Border crossings are a case where the governments absolutely SHOULD know exactly who you are. That's the entire point of something like a passport, and a second or third authentication factor will only help make this identification more accurate.
This is a completely separate issue from whether those resulting biometrics should be stored in a linked database that is accessible for law enforcement. This should be addressed through legislation, or biometrics should be chosen that would not directly help in law enforcement (e.g. iris scans, hand geometry, etc.).
Why should US people going in other country be trusted ? Let us force the US have biometric Visa and passeport with finger print, saliva sample, skin and DNA sample, hair sample all on a chip, face recognition on 100 points etc... How would you think the US epople would react that the EU ask that from them ? I seriously doubt that most of you would accept this lightly without heavy protest.
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The cool thing about biometric-based ID systems is they can be completely automated. A TV camera and a laser - if someone approaches and their retina is not on file, zap!
Maybe not such a good idea on second thoughts.
Well, if you have a look at the form DS-157 [1] (supplement application for getting a Visa for the US) i'm sort of scared. They really want to know a lot, like my former rank in the forces? Special education in firearms, nuclear and biological warfare? All males in the age from 16-45 are obliged to fill this one out. But come on, be honest: the real bad guys will lie in that form, won't they? And the innocent will be punished for stupidity if they fill out something wrong? Is it really necessary for the US government to know who my last two former employers were?
Anyway: I'm neither a US citizen nor a US resident, but stuff like that seems to be common in all over the world since 911.
Alex.
[1] http://travel.state.gov/DS-0157.pdf
You look like a million dollars. All green and wrinkled.
Absolutely, but these issues are separate from the question of whether a digital biometric should be represented on passport/border/identification documents.
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Just the term 'law-abiding citizens' means only the law applies to us who follow the law. Criminals and terrorists need not apply. I am married to a foreign national, from an allied country at that, and the amount of cost in terms of time and money for my wife to live in the U.S. is ridiculous. Now they want her biometric info? Sheesh.
I have no problem with people coming to the U.S. - but if you want to come in, have some patience, fill out the paper work and stand in line like everyone else. Just ask a legal immigrant about the fairness of letting anyone in. A lot of people moved here to get AWAY from the criminal element, only to discover that the criminals can just walk in!
Other things created to make us 'safe':
- Gun Control (the biggest joke)
- Curent flying regulations with respect to security
- Printing the California Driver's handbook in 107 different languages.....
Common Sense is no longer on the books......
Self Defense - A Human Right www.a-human-right.com
HUH?
You are one of those guys who trusts the United Nations over the United States, right?
Have faith in the belief that others like you are the 'checks and balances' in the U.S. government - the whole reason for free speech. If I was hearing more about how Bush is killing our own people from elsewhere, then I would be inclined to put more weight into your statement.
But for now, I will push thee to the fringe.....
Self Defense - A Human Right www.a-human-right.com
You forgot your schema declaration. Now I can't validate your karma whoring :(
"We returned the General to El Salvador, or maybe Guatemala, it's difficult to tell from 10,000 feet"
Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the communist party?
Of course you'll lie if you should say yes, but THEY WANT YOU TO - it's the lie that lets them deport (or imprison) you. If you answer yes then you don't get the visa, if you answer no then you do time. Simple.
Watch this Heartland Institute video
Never? No Never!
Keep on dreaming.
Watch this Heartland Institute video
I waited almost 18 months for my adjustment interview that approved me for a green card. I'm still waiting for that precious piece of plastic a whole 12 months later which means I will be visting my local field office soon and queuing for hours on end just to get another "temporary evidence of lawful residence" stamp in my passport.
When I got my drivers license it took me less than an hour and my license was printed in 10 minutes. It's the same technology.
Rather than wasting time on this pointless new system the INS should be spending money on getting itself organised, and chasing down illegal immigrants.
The other point is that the 9/11 terrorists had perfectly valid papers.
If biometric ID on border IDs gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling, that makes one of us.
I think Osama's boys are laughing, and the joke is on us.
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