U.S. To Begin Fingerprinting EU Visitors
Airports To Enforce Security System For European Travelers By Late 2007
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A woman demonstrates the new 10-fingerprint scanner at the American Embassy in Brussels, Monday June 25, 2007. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is currently transitioning from collecting two fingerprints, digital and inkless, to collecting 10 fingerprints from foreign travelers going to the United States. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
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Border checks could also soon include other biometric data, such as facial and eye retina scans, as the U.S. upgrades security at its ports, airports and border crossings, said P.T. Wright, the operations director for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's US-VISIT Program.
All people from European nations and others participating in the U.S. Visa-Waiver program would have to give additional prints, as would people traveling from nations where visas are needed, he said.
Wright, who was in Brussels to explain the new system to EU officials, said a pilot project at 10 major U.S. airports would be launched in late 2007, expanding the current program that calls for taking prints of two fingers and facial photographs.
Since the two-fingerprint scans were introduced in 2004, Wright said, security and convenience for travelers has gotten better.
"What we have encountered in the last four years is improved security as well as greater facilitation of the traveler coming to the United States," Wright said. "It's a very quick and simple scan of the fingers."
U.S. travel security restrictions have caused increased opposition in EU nations, amid demands from Brussels that Washington expand its visa-waiver program to include all 27 EU nations.
The current program allows citizens from most Western European countries and some other parts of the world to enter the country without visas, but excludes many of the newer EU member states.
EU data protection officials also have raised concerns in the past over the U.S. system and over a similar fingerprint system being set up by EU nations. They are keen to get the best privacy guarantees for citizens.
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Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."





whatta load of b.s. !
to try to intercept 100, we're going to fingerprint millions of visitors ??? And this is going to "protect" us? Some of you other mentioned the mexican, canadian borders - but wait a minute here - what about the other 5 billion inhabitants of this planet? How do we get their fingerprints too?
(Bushit & Co. make Joe Stalin look real good)
If you have never done anything wrong you have no worries. The government has us no matter what! Guess we can't go to Canada to dodge the draft now?
And when I said 'fair' I was not being sarcastic.
And I agree with R-U-KIDDING, why not make it mandatory for everybody? That way no ethnic or spiritual group can cry "Foul!".
Illegally crossing the border from Mexico to U.S.-priceless.
Illegal immigrants - everywhere you want to be.
Welcome to America you criminal minded people.
This story is so full of B.S. propaganda.
It amazes me how easy it is to "start" something like this yet it takes YEARS to TRY any real border security along the South.
- by oakishpines June 25, 2007 6:34 PM EDT
- how does the world get fed if 99 plus % of people are denied market share 99 plus % of the time?
- Reply to this comment
See all 19 Commentshow will farms produce enough if they consolidate until they can not afford to pay thier few highpriced selfs to feed more than a few? and as it becomes more illegal and more economically impractical to farm for oneself? (except perhaps dirt farming or other small crops with high yields and high scientific value)
how is it that, after 200,000 years of the defense of women and children and get well soon you are here why why why feed the world first aid on the trail folk: the men and the get sick soon you are gone die die die tax the world first strike on the trail folk still have all the market share, all the tax money, all armor, weapons, alcohol, and parades?
if the government spends trillions stuffing pills down the throats of 'imbalanced' folk and waving guns in the faces of 'imbalanced' folk, wouldn't they do themselves a favor to maintain little lines of folk begging for the option to beg to be tortured so the rest can opt out?
kids age five and less take 99 plus % of punishments anyway!, which means screaming at a 6 or 600 year old is the same as screaming at 99 kids, and some of those kids will die!