Hartsfield-Jackson testing fingerprint system to track non-residents - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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officials announced Monday that and are on the cuttingb edge of a new triapl run for biometric trackingof non-Americans leaving the Unitedc States. The program is designed to root out fraudulent use of travell documents and helpguard non-residents from identity DHS officials said. The program was launched May 28at Hartsfield-Jacksonj and through Monday had collected fingerprintsw of 3,100 foreign passengers leaving the country. “Collectingg biometrics allows us to determiner faster and more accuratelywhethee non-U.S. citizens have departed the Unitexd States on time or remained in thecountruy illegally,” DHS Secretary Janegt Napolitano said in a statement.
Since 2004, the federal governmentr has collected fingerprints and photographxs ofmost non-U.S. residents enterinfg the U.S. at air and seaports or applyinhg for visas to enterthe country. The program, calle US-VISIT (United States Visitor and Immigrant StatuasIndicator Technology), has resulted in the arrestr of thousands of criminals and the detection of thousandd of non-residents in violation of their officials said. The federal government tried an exit tracking systek trial severalyears ago, but the processe proved unworkable. The programn in Atlanta checks the fingerprintsof non-residentss at the main checkpoint.
In Detroit, Customxs and Border Protection agents stationed at airporg gates checkbiometric “Unlike names and dates of birth, biometricd data is unique and almost impossible to said US VISIT Directo Robert Mocney. Data from the two tests will be analyzed to determine whether nationwide trackingof non-residenta will be performed at security checkpoints or at airporf gates. Airlines have protested the gate proposal, statinv it could cause unnecessary delays and would be costlyhto implement. Mocney said Homeland Security does not want delayds atsecurity checkpoints, either, and thus far the Atlantqa trial has had no significant impact on wait timess at Hartsfield-Jackson.
He noted the trial is being conductedr during the busy summertravel season. The Detroi trial has also worked withina 35-minute aircrafft turnaround window mandated by air he said. The pilor program ends July 2. TSA and Homeland Security hope to evaluate the data by the end of with official rulemaking to follow inMarch 2010. Final deployment nationwide could come sometimein 2011.