Tag Archives: government

Senate Judiciary Committee votes in favor of biometric exit system

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The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has been working long hours lately — drafting, negotiating and voting on the current immigration overhaul bill — and biometric technology is increasingly a part of the discussion. Last night, the committee voted 13 to 15 to approve an amendment that would see the establishment of a biometric exit system at the 30 largest airports in the country. The amendment, by 79-year-old Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, would require the Department of Homeland Security to implement

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Lockheed Martin expert to address Congressional subcommittee on biometric technology

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Lockheed Martin’s John Mears represent the International Biometrics & Identification Association (IBIA) and will provide an industry perspective during a joint hearing on the current and future applications of biometric technologies, in front of the Congressional Committee on Science, Space and Technology’s Subcommittees on Research and on Technology. The hearing, set to take place this morning at 10 a.m. ET will be broadcast live online from Washington, DC. Mears is a Lockheed Martin senior fellow and chief technologist, IS&GS-Civil information technology and

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DHS publishes RFI for mobile biometric capture device

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has posted a request for information (RFI) for a “mobile electronic biometric/biographic data collection device.” Specifically, says the RFI, the department is seeking information on “the current and near-term availability of a data collection device on a mobile electronic platform, capable of obtaining biometric and biographic information and communicating wirelessly through a virtual private network (VPN. The device(s) of interest should be tough, rugged, and durable enough to function reliably in the various outdoor environmental

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U.S Senate Judiciary Committee rejects biometric exit system for immigrants

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As the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee continues to work through amendments to an immigration overhaul bill, it has rejected a proposal from Republican Senator Jeff Sessions to collect the fingerprints of foreigners departing from the country. A currently-proposed overhaul to current U.S. immigration laws would require that the Department of Homeland Security complete a system to collect biographic information, though Senator Jeff Sessions has proposed amending this bill to include biometric data collection. According to a report in the Washington Post,

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India looks to secure maritime borders with biometric smart cards

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The National Informatics Centre (NIC) in Kerala is set to test a biometric identity card pilot project, in an attempt to better-secure India’s maritime borders. Set to start in September 2013, 800 local fishermen will initially be included in the test and an estimated 300,000 more would be covered. Reported in The Hindu, the government plans to use card readers at harbour and authorized fish landing centres for authorities to verify the identities of fishermen, in an attempt to infiltrate terrorists

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3M, Gemalto, Morpho and Oberthur Technologies form ‘Secure Identity Alliance’

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3M, Gemalto, Morpho and Oberthur Technologies have announced the formation of the Secure Identity Alliance, a new group focused on developing the usage of government-issued eDocuments. According to the group, it aims to accelerate the transition to smart eDocuments and to enable an “open, interoperable and efficient roll-out of trusted eGovernment online services.” From its initial list of goals, the group’s efforts seem to be focused on education: Describing and promoting use cases, sharing experience and best practices and in

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Could U.S. immigration reform include a national biometric database?

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Reports are emerging today regarding the possibility of a national biometric database of U.S. adults, following references to a “photo tool” administered by the Department of Homeland Security in immigration reform measures currently in front of the U.S. Senate. According to a report in Wired published this morning, buried in the legislation – called Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act – is “language mandating the creation of an innocuously-named ‘photo tool,’ a massive federal database administered by the

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Trinidad and Tobago to roll out biometric system in July

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Trinidad and Tobago’s minister for Social Development has proclaimed that a biometric system will be introduced to reduce crime and that citizens receiving State grant should enroll in the Republic’s Direct Deposit programme. Reported in Trinidad Express, Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh – the Minister for Social Development – made the comments speaking to reporters after a United National Congress national executive meeting and specified that the new system will include a retinal scan. “We want to encourage persons to come onto

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Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs says some e-passports are defective

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The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has announced that some of the country’s e-passports issued in 2012 are defective, finding some pages are easy to tear from the booklet. Reported in GMAnetwork, the DFA made the comments about the defective e-passports last week, and has told affected e-passport holders to go to embassies or consulates for replacements and that holders should not try to fix the passports themselves, as it could be considered a form of tampering. Philippine e-passports contain

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MEPs back deal with Council on police access to Eurodac fingerprint data

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On the back of a new deal, EU member states’ police forces and Europol could gain access to asylum seekers’ fingerprint information in the Eurodac database in a move to fight terrorism and serious crime. The new provisional deal between Parliament and Council endorsed by the Civil Liberties Committee, assures that personal data would be protected and police access would be limited to cases with major public security concerns. According to the European Parliament, Eurodac stores the fingerprints of asylum seekers over

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