Hutchinson: New System Provides America with 'Smart Border'

Asa Hutchinson, under secretary of border and transportation security at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said that the U.S. VISIT system - to be installed at U.S. airports and seaports by January 1, 2004 - will be based on visas that include biometric features such as fingerprints and photographs to permit identification of foreign visitors when they arrive.

Hutchinson, who spoke at a forum sponsored by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said this information would be available at U.S. ports of entry as well as throughout the entire immigration enforcement system. "Through this 'virtual border,' we will know who violates our entry requirements, who overstays or violates the terms of their stay, and who should be welcome again," he said.

Hutchinson said foreign visitors would be identified through a minimum of two biometric identifiers - initially fingerprints and photographs; later, as the technology is perfected, additional forms such as facial recognition or iris scans may be used as well.

He also said his department would be working with the State Department to encourage countries that are granted visa waivers to use tamper-proof passports that include biometric identifiers as soon as possible.

In explaining how the system will work, Hutchinson said a foreign visitor's travel documents will be scanned when he or she arrives at a U.S. airport or seaport. Then, once a photo and fingerprint are taken, the person will be checked against lists of those who should be denied entry for any reason - for example, terrorist connections, criminal violations or past visa violations.

Congress has appropriated nearly $400 million for this year alone to establish the U.S. VISIT system at airports and seaports, and an effort is under way in Congress to establish the system at major land ports of entry.