Facial Recognition Makes its Grand Entry

On its third day of testing, facial recognition technology caught its first person attempting to enter the country on a fraudulent passport.

A young traveler landing at Dulles on a flight from San Paulo, Brazil, presented a French passport to US Border Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The passport might have passed human visual inspection, however, using the facial comparison detection system, the customs officer detected inconsistencies between the man and the passport photo.

Upon further scrutiny in a secondary exam, a Republic of Congo ID card was found hidden in his shoe. The photo on the ID card had been modified to prevent identification. The imposter was apprehended and deported back to Brazil, after processing. This was the first arrest after implementation of the new technology.

The biometric technology is presently implemented for testing at 14 airports, including Dulles. Algorithms compare facial features to photographs and videos on file from passports, visas and other sources, with a 99% rate of accuracy. Supporters of the technology, such as David Heyman, a former assistant with the Department of Homeland Security, say that facial recognition allows a much more accurate identification, and speeds up processing, and will “much more likely be able to target the individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States.”

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