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Homeland Security To Scan Citizens Exiting US
An anonymous reader writes "The US Department of Homeland Security is set to kickstart a controversial new pilot to scan the fingerprints of travellers departing the United States. From June, US Customs and Border Patrol will take a fingerprint scan of travellers exiting the United States from Detroit, while the US Transport Security Administration will take fingerprint scans of international travellers exiting the United States from Atlanta. The controversial plan to scan outgoing passengers — including US citizens — was allegedly hatched under the Bush Administration. An official has said it will be used in part to crack down on the US population of illegal immigrants."
The thugs in government already mandated and received my fingerprints. They got them when I applied for the military and was 4-Fed (back problems), and when I applied for a medical license. In fact, it's mandated for a medical license now in most places. They take your fingerprints when you buy a gun. I mean, at this point, we're totally hosed. Welcome to the new police state.
Nothing to see here. Move on.
It's not a matter of xenophobia. For most people anyway. Illegal immigration is a very real social and economic problem.
I might be less critical of such actions if it weren't for the fact that "security" isn't being improved or actually even being addressed.
I remember clearly how all of this started falling together and even I, with my stupidity and naiveity thought the first thing they would do would be to close the physical borders! After all, that's where all the brown-skinned people come and go through. And don't for a minute think I am being racist, just OBVIOUS. The people who allegedly did the 9-11 attacks had brown skin and are rather indistinguishable from the brown-skinned people south of the U.S border.
But they didn't... kept it open for a good long time with only occasional threats at putting up a wall and stuff.
The measure they have taken seem to be aimed more at people who are here in the U.S. legally (like citizens and all) than illegals. The same seems to be true of "copy protection" schemes which are little more than playback protection. The warrantless wiretapping program also seems to be aimed domestically as have other programs. And I have yet to see anything that actually makes us "safer."
First, we are still better than most nations
I don't think it's fair to compare yourself to all countries on Earth, when some of those are in a mess precisely because of you. Start small, like, say, Europe.
There is a huge difference though, its not that we are preventing people from leaving, its we are documenting who is leaving. They can call it whatever they want, using illegal immigration (which I will admit is a problem) is just a means to an end.
Now on the other hand, I could care less if they fingerprint me, my prints are on record with every federal agency known to man (through my security clearances and work at various federal and civilian gov agencies).
At the same time, I honestly do not have a problem with people being identified, as long as the data is kept secure, and not abused (this is where the problems start to come up). It's when they start to create massive databases of not just your identity, but add your travel habits, buying habits, personal things about you, sexual preferences etc, and then start to use that data to preempt things like crime, or use it to prevent you from getting insurance/medical/etc... thats where I start having issues...
I came, I conquered, I coredumped