US-VISIT:Keeping America’s

Doors Open and Our Nation Secure

Scott Hastings Chief Information Officer

US-VISITUnited States …Department

of Homeland Security North American Day 2005

"US-VISIT is an important new element in the global war against terrorism and will serve as a catalyst in the growing international use of biometrics to expedite processing of travelers”

- DHS Secretary Tom Ridge

“Since September 11, the United States has built the first phase of a biometric screening program, called US-VISIT… False identities are used by terrorists to avoid being detected on a watchlist. These biometric identifiers make such evasions far more difficult.”

- 9/11 Commission Report

US-VISIT Highlights

Positive Impacts of US-VISIT

– Increased ability to biometrically identify known or suspected wanted persons

• i.e. fugitives, known terrorists

– Enhanced ability to focus DHS enforcement efforts on overstays

– Increased data sharing resulting with DHS and DOS in more effective and accurate visa and POE processing

– Expedited service for low-risk frequent travelers

– Increased reliability in matching departures and arrivals

US-VISIT Goals

–Enhance the security of our citizens and visitors

–Facilitate legitimate travel and trade

–Ensure the integrity of our immigration system

–Protect the privacy of our visitors

US-VISIT: A Continuumof Security Measures

•Pre-entry:

•More than 180 visa-issuing posts around the world are collecting biographic and biometric data as they issue visas.

•By October 2004, all 211 visa-issuing posts will be collecting biometric data.

•

US-VISIT: A Continuum of Security Measures

Entry:

Upon arrival at U.S. air or sea ports, digital index fingerscans are taken and compared against the one taken at the time of visa issuance and against watchlists. A digital photograph is taken.

US-VISIT: A Continuum of Security Measures

•Status Management:

- Should the traveler seek to adjust status or extend his/her stay, US-VISIT would be updated with any modifications to the individual’s status.

– Arrival and departure records are reconciled, and any inconsistency allows US-VISIT to determine when a visitor has overstayed.

Exit

– A biometric departure solution is currently being tested involving automated kiosks. Additional alternatives will be tested and evaluated in 2004.

– Visitors are required to check out of the country if leaving from a port with exit stations to record their status for future visits.

Who Is Processed Under US-VISIT

• Today, most visitors who require a nonimmigrant visa to enter the country are enrolled in US-VISIT currently.– Visitors under age 14 and over 79 are exempt– Certain classifications of non-immigrants (A, G,

NATO) are exempt

Protecting Privacy

Comprehensive privacy program, led by DHS’ Chief Privacy Officer and US-VISIT Privacy Officer, ensures that US-VISIT meets requirements and goals

–Information use: Established rules governing collection, notice, and dissemination.

–Redress policy: Established process for individual to correct data errors or problems.

–Privacy Impact Assessment: Prepared a PIA in collaboration with advocacy, privacy, and immigration groups. Included detailed information about the program, technology and privacy protections used.

Vision Objectives and Scope

• Non-U.S. Citizens– Travel to, through, and from the U.S.– Activities within the U.S.– Identity and eligibility determination– Status management and enforcement

• U.S. Citizens– Travel to and from the U.S.– Passport processing– Identity determination

• Global, at U.S. borders, and within the U.S

Objectives Scope

• Create an overall vision for immigration and border management

• Identify the role of US-VISIT within this vision

• Identify and relate the role of other organizations to the success of the vision

• Develop a plan to build the capabilities necessary to achieve the vision

Vision Overview

Increased knowledge of individuals, provided in advance to decision-makers

Smooth and rapid facilitation of known, low-risk persons

Increased scrutiny of unknown, high-risk individuals

Transformation of the Immigration and Border Management system (people, processes, technology and facilities)

Expanded cooperation among U.S. Federal, state, and local agencies, foreign governments, and the private sector

Improved coordination of information to deliver the right information to decision-makers

Re-engineering of processes to streamline and simplify interactions, eliminating redundancy and delays

Public ViewSimplified, Consolidated, Purpose-based

One point of Interaction

Interactions are structured around a person’s purpose, rather than around the organizational bureaucracies and structures

Streamlined Interactions

Interactions with the government and private sector are consolidated and simplified – fewer steps needed to accomplish the purpose

Knowledge based Facilitation

Known and low risk people move quickly through the immigration and transportation systems, while those who are not known or higher risk will receive increased scrutiny

Government ViewKnowledge of the Person, In Time to Act

Comprehensive view of people and the strategic environment (person-centric view)

Application, travel, and threat data is captured and stored electronically, shared across agencies as appropriate

A person’s identity and data are linked biometrically

Proactive and coordinated screening to identify risks and assess eligibility

Assessments based individual and demographic characteristics

Responsive to dynamic threat situations

Available in real-time, even remotely (e.g., on foot, aboard ship, in automobiles)

Simplified, informed facilitation processes; officers able to focus on unknown and high-risk individuals

Coordinated and focused law enforcement activities

Policy is informed by credible data

Vision Overview

In Which Areas Must We Excel? Core Capabilities

Identify a Person: The capability to establish identity, connect to available information, and verify identity upon subsequent interactions

Assess Risk and Eligibility: The capability to determine if an individual is eligible to enter the U.S. or receive benefits

Record Entry, Exit and Status The capability to determine a person’s immigration status and when and where an individual entered or exited the country

Take Law Enforcement Actions The capability to intercept, process, detain, prosecute and remove persons of interest within U.S. territories and at the borders

Process Requests and Applications: The capability to receive, analyze, evaluate, and decide whether an individual should receive a benefit, as well as share data, information, and knowledge about the same

Communicate with External Entities: The capability to administer forms, fees, policies, and procedures

Manage Knowledge, Information and Intelligence: The capability to interact with visitors, immigrants, citizens, and external stakeholders, disseminating and receiving timely, accurate, and consistent information

Manage the Enterprise  The capability to govern the integrated activities of the agencies involved in Immigration & Border Management—across organizations, bureaus, and agencies

What Can We Achieve? Key Capability Enablers

A Person-Centric View – providing to decision makers accurate and timely information about a person, relevant to the decision

A Virtual Border – re-engineering processes to leverage information so that decisions can be made when a person is encountered, not just at a physical border

A Cohesive Analysis Environment – enabling coordinated and comprehensive assessments of individuals and operations

An Immigration and Border Management Enterprise – unifying stakeholders with common objectives, strategies, processes, and infrastructures

For more information…

• Anna Hinken• 202-298-5281• anna.hinken@dhs.gov

• Kimberly Weissman• 202-298-5026• kimberly.weissman@dhs.gov

• Visit Our Web site:• www.dhs.gov/us-visit