The Department of Homeland Security’s policy chief David Heyman explains: “The United States did not build its border, aviation, and port infrastructure with exit screening in mind.” The IBIA released a report this week detailing what it has dubbed as the unfulfilled mandate of biometric exit in the United States.

The document is largely based on the discussions that came from the connect:ID conference in Washington DC last week, and outlines the history of biometric exit as well as the need for such a border control solution as a population management and national security tool for a government still fighting terrorism.

The ultimate goal of a biometric exit system, which would record the departure of foreign visitors to the United States, is to have an accurate and up to date list of people overstaying their visas while also –in conjunction with biometric entry– keeping track of terrorism watchlists.

Essentially, making sure that the people entering the country are leaving when they are supposed to and that in both situations are exactly who they say they are.

Currently this is done with biographic data and travel documents, while the Department of Homeland Security’s science and technology division works on developing a biometric solution for US airports. This is not enough of an explanation for some, who have been waiting for a very long time for biometric exit, which despite being constantly lobbied for, seems to be in a state of perpetual stalling. Cost remains a barrier here, as are operational issues.[…]