If you're filing an immigration form - or helping someone who is - the Feds may soon want to look in your eyes, swab your cheek, and scan your face. The US Department of Homeland Security wants to greatly expand biometric data collection for immigration applications, covering immigrants and even some US citizens tied to those cases.
DHS, through its component agency US Citizenship and Immigration Services, on Monday proposed a sweeping expansion of the agency's collection of biometric data. While ostensibly about verifying identities and preventing fraud in immigration benefit applications, the proposed rule goes much further than simply ensuring applicants are who they claim to be.
First off, the rule proposes expanding when DHS can collect biometric data from immigration benefit applicants, as "submission of biometrics is currently only mandatory for certain benefit requests and enforcement actions." DHS wants to change that, including by requiring practically everyone an immigrant is associated with to submit their biometric data.
"DHS proposes in this rule that any applicant, petitioner, sponsor, supporter, derivative, dependent, beneficiary, or individual filing or associated with a benefit request or other request or collection of information, including U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and lawful permanent residents, and without regard to age, must submit biometrics unless DHS otherwise exempts the requirement," the rule proposal said.
DHS also wants to require the collection of biometric data from "any alien apprehended, arrested or encountered by DHS."
It's not explicitly stated in the rule proposal why US citizens associated with immigrants who are applying for benefits would have to have their biometric data collected. DHS didn't answer questions to that end, though the rule stated that US citizens would also be required to submit biometric data "when they submit a family-based visa petition."
Give me your voice, your eye print, your DNA samples
In addition to expanded collection, the proposed rule also changes the definition of what DHS considers to be valid biometric data.
"Government agencies have grouped together identifying features and actions, such as fingerprints, photographs, and signatures under the broad term, biometrics," the proposal states. "DHS proposes to define the term 'biometrics' to mean 'measurable biological (anatomical, physiological or molecular structure) or behavioral characteristics of an individual,'" thus giving DHS broad leeway to begin collecting new types of biometric data as new technologies are developed.
The proposal mentions several new biometric technologies DHS wants the option to use, including ocular imagery, voice prints and DNA, all on the table per the new rule.
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