Homeland Security Requiring 10 Fingerprints at Dulles International Airport

Posted on December 10, 2007

The Department of Homeland Security has issued a press release about stepping up airport security, starting with Dulles International Airport by requiring 10 fingerprints instead of two from international visitors.

“Anyone who’s watched the news or seen crimes solved on television shows can appreciate the power of biometrics,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “They help the legitimate traveler proceed more quickly while protecting their identity and enable our frontline personnel to focus even greater attention on potential security risks. Biometrics tell the story that the unknown terrorist tries to conceal, and it causes them to question whether they’ve ever left a print behind.”

According to the new measure, all non-U.S. citizens between 14 to 79 are required to leave their digital fingerprints and a photograph when they apply for visas or arrive at U.S. ports of entry.

The data are checked against a watch list of criminals, known or suspected terrorists, and people who have violated the tough immigration laws in the U.S..

“Biometrics tell the story that the unknown terrorist tries to conceal, and it causes them to question whether they’ve ever left a print behind,” Chertoff said.

Dulles is the first port of entry requiring this but nine others will begin implementing these new measures within the next few months and they are Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; Boston Logan International Airport; Chicago O’Hare International Airport; San Francisco International Airport; George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport; Miami International Airport; Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport; Orlando International Airport; and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The remaining 278 ports will begin the process by the end of 2008.

» Filed Under ACLU, Border Control/Homeland Security, News, War On Terror

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4 Responses to “Homeland Security Requiring 10 Fingerprints at Dulles International Airport”

OrbÃ¡n Viktor on December 11th, 2007 11:50 am

This might come as a surprise to you but not all people from abroad are murderers, terrorists, drog traffickers etc. Those who do not fall into these categories feel humiliated and threatened by the US Government’s paranoia as expressed in the above “new measure”. I decided long ago to stop visiting the US, a country I used to admire as the cradle of freedom and of almost everything important for mankind. I had to learn that the US is “the cradle of the best and the worst”… Being a lawmaker in my country I will press for re-instituting the visa requirements for US citizens wishing to visit my country, including checking the visa applicant’s financial beackgrounds, requiring bank statements about their accounts, deeds of owmership of real estate etc - exactly as the US Government treats our citizens. And of course, the ten fingerprints, to express our happiness to welcome them in my country. This is a sorry world!!!!
Kyle from Houston on December 11th, 2007 4:11 pm

Mr. Viktor:

You won’t be a lawmaker for very long if you engage in childish retaliatory practices such as you are suggesting. If you do all of these things we will simply stop visiting your country. Your economy will suffer and you will enjoy pointlessly strained relations with the United States. We are not trying to be mean to you!!

Also, you didn’t mention which country is yours, but I doubt that your citizens are intentionally targeted by organized mass murderers who attempt to enter your country under various guises. Therefore you really don’t need to fingerprint visitors.

Rather than complaining about how paranoid we are why don’t you provide some sort of assistance to us to fight terrorism?? You can start by taking 15 seconds to allow us to scan your fingerprints. I get my fingerprints scanned everytime I cash a check at the bank and it really isn’t worth crying over.

If you don’t have any respect for the threat we are under or understand the suffering of the families of terrorist attacks then we really don’t want you in our country anyway. Terrorists look just like everybody else so everyone we don’t know is a suspect and that is the reality of the state of the world. If you have any problem with this policy at all then believe me, you have made the right decision by refusing to come here because with your lack of sympathy you would not be well-liked.

Foreigners seem to forget that for Americans the USA is not something on TV or something to be discussed in political science class. This is our home and we are going to protect ourselves.
Susan on December 11th, 2007 4:19 pm

What can anyone add to Kyles answer, except RIGHT ON KYLE!!!!
Cam on December 18th, 2007 4:15 pm

Dude, I probably wouldn’t even want to go to your country anyway. I’m happy being a U.S. citizen.