On October 4th, the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee passed a bill proposed by the House of Representatives entitled the Border Security for America Act (the “Act”). The Act lays out a plan to establish a biometric exit data system to collect and verify information on the movement of persons entering U.S. ports while attempting not to disrupt the shipping of cargo. Following the passing of this bill, the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee (the “Committee”) held a hearing on “Examining Physical Security and Cybersecurity at Our Nation’s Ports” that sought to identify and understand cyber threats posed by vulnerabilities at seaports, and explore potential mitigation strategies to protect industries and individuals at the nation’s borders.
To learn more about the Border Security for America Act and reactions, as well as the potential benefits and risks of biometric data collection, click here.