NCJ Number
201758
Journal
Homeland Defense Journal Volume: 1 Issue: 5 Dated: August 2003 Pages: 34-38
Date Published
August 2003
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes the U.S. Visit program, an ambitious security program designed to track foreign nationals at airports and seaports.
Abstract
The U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indication Technology System, U.S. Visit for short, collects, maintains, and shares information about foreign nationals. The program will be able to determine the refugee status of visitors, whether visitors should be prohibited from entering the country, whether they have overstayed their visas, and whether they should be allowed to change their immigration status. Cutting-edge software will allow the program to monitor the frequency of foreigners’ voices and map the irises of their eyes and facial images. Proponents of U.S. Visit claim that the system will prevent known terrorists from ever entering the country. Major government computing contractors are expected to bid on parts or all of the contract when the government requests procurement some time in Fall 2003. A team of contractors is likely with all the different types of technology involved with the project. The article presents ideas from several prospective contractors and discusses possible modifications to the system.