In a June 29, 2017, photo, US Customs and Border Protection Officer Sanan Jackson, right, helps a passenger navigate the new face recognition kiosks at gate E7 for a United Airlines flight to Tokyo at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.
July 12, 2017
Face scans for Americans flying abroad stir privacy issues
HOUSTON, United States (AP) — If the Trump administration gets its way, all US citizens flying abroad will have to submit to face scans at airport security.
Privacy advocates call the plan an ill-advised step toward a surveillance state.
Nonimmigrant foreigners entering the US currently must submit to fingerprint and photo collection.
Congress long ago agreed to extending that to face scans on departure — mostly to keep better track of visa overstays.
Now, the Department of Homeland Security says US citizens must also be scanned for the program to work.
Pilots are under way at six US airports. DHS aims to have high-volume US international airports engaged beginning next year.
