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Rep. Bilirakis Mobile Biometric Screening Bill Would Strengthen America’s Maritime Security |
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May 24, 2007
WASHINGTON -U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), member of the House
Homeland Security Committee, today introduced legislation that would strengthen
national maritime security by screening interdicted aliens against Department
of Homeland Security (DHS) biometric watch lists.
In an effort to effectively
track immigration violators, criminals, previous deportees and possible
terrorists, this legislation would create a pilot program for immigration and
law enforcement officials to collect biometric information from waterborne
migrants seeking illegal entry into the United States.
"I am very concerned by
the fact that those who seek to break our nation's immigration laws, and those
who may wish to commit terrorist acts, remain undetected and are simply
repatriated to their home country without consequence; leaving them free to
continue their illegal and dangerous behavior," said Rep.
Bilirakis. "The biometric identification of aliens interdicted in the
maritime environment has the potential to greatly improve the security of America's
coastal borders. Developing this capability will help DHS law enforcement
personnel at sea quickly identify migrant violators using biometrics. They will
be able to act immediately to detain those who may pose a threat to our
security or consistently flout their disregard for our nation's laws."
Every year, DHS estimates
that more than 10,000 unknown migrants attempt to cross in small boats from the
Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico. Almost 50 percent of maritime migrant
apprehension occurs in this area alone. Current procedure dictates that
interdicted migrants be repatriated because the United States lacks the ability to
verify the identity of these apprehended migrants, posing a serious risk to
national security.
Congressman Bilirakis had
initially included this biometric collection pilot program as an amendment in
the Fiscal Year 2008 Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act, H.R.
1684, which was unanimously approved by the Homeland Security Committee.
Unfortunately, this amendment was stripped from H.R. 1684 on the House floor
during the debate on final passage for procedural reasons.
In February, Coast Guard Rear
Admiral David Pekoske testified before Congressman Bilirakis's Border,
Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism (BMGC) Subcommittee regarding the
challenges of coastal security. During his testimony, RADM Pekoske
highlighted an on-going partnership with US-VISIT to deploy mobile biometrics
collection equipment on Coast Guard cutters operating in the Mona Pass
between the Dominican Republic
and Puerto Rico,
Since starting this effort in
November 2006, the Coast Guard has interdicted more than 21 vessels containing
almost 600 undocumented aliens. Approximately 22 percent of those
interdicted were enrolled in US-VISIT as prior felons or immigration violators.
This legislation would expand
this effort into a formal pilot program and require DHS to evaluate the results
to determine the feasibility and appropriateness of expanding such capability
to all DHS maritime vessels. It has garnered original co-sponsorship by
Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Peter King (R-NY), as well as BMGC
Subcommittee Ranking Member Mark Souder (R-IN) and Congressman David Davis
(R-TN).
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