CBP initiates New York biometric facial comparison technology

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said biometric facial comparison technology implementation at the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, N.Y., enhances identity verification for lawful entry into the country.

Authorities noted upon a traveler’s arrival at a pedestrian lane or undergoing I-94 processing in Buffalo, he or she will pause for a photo, and an officer will review and query the travel document – retrieving the traveler’s passport or visa photo from government holdings.

The traveler’s new photo will be compared to the photo previously collected. The facial comparison process takes a few seconds and is over 97 percent accurate.

“As part of our land border innovation efforts, CBP has deployed a secure, efficient, and intuitive process at select pedestrian lanes that delivers a streamlined experience for travelers arriving into the United States,” Diane J. Sabatino, Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner of Field Operations at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said. “CBP’s use of facial biometric technology not only provides an additional layer of security but ensures a safer, touchless method of traveler verification while protecting the privacy of all travelers.”

CBP personnel indicated biometric facial comparison technology improves the agency’s ability to facilitate lawful travel and secure the border while fulfilling a congressional mandate to biometrically record the entry and exit of non-U.S. citizens.

More than 53 million travelers have presently participated in the biometric facial comparison process at air, land, and seaports of entry.