Orlando airport tests CBP facial‑recognition boarding
Orlando International Airport launched a 90‑day Enhanced Passenger Processing pilot with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to use biometric facial comparison for international departures, enabling simultaneous boarding via jetway cameras. Beginning Dec. 26, non‑U.S. citizens must use the system while U.S. citizens may opt out; CBP says photos are matched to government records and deleted within 12 hours and reports a 43% reduction in screening times.
📌 Key Facts
- Location: Orlando International Airport (MCO); 90‑day pilot with three movement‑tracking tech partners
- Policy: Non‑U.S. citizens required to use biometrics starting Dec. 26; U.S. citizens can opt out
- Data handling: Photos deleted within 12 hours per program rules
- Impact: CBP cites 43% reduction in processing times at Orlando
- Context: DHS guidance expands biometric entry/exit for foreign nationals across air, land, and sea
📊 Relevant Data
Facial recognition technology exhibits higher error rates for women and Black individuals, with Black females being the most affected.
Accuracy and Fairness of Facial Recognition Technology in Low Quality Images — arXiv
In FY 2023, the suspected in-country overstay rate for Visa Waiver Program countries was 0.62 percent of the 16,146,989 expected departures.
Entry/Exit Overstay Report — Department of Homeland Security
On average, between 1% and 2% of nonimmigrant admissions result in an overstay each year, representing approximately 650,000-850,000 overstays annually.
Nonimmigrant Overstays: Overview and Policy Issues — Congressional Research Service
The biometric entry-exit system is expanded to provide an accurate way to verify an individual's identity and improve security.
Collection of Biometric Data From Aliens Upon Entry to and Departure From the United States — Federal Register