DHS’s biometric programs hampered by shifting priorities and budget shortfalls

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been at the forefront of deploying biometric systems for national security, immigration, and law enforcement purposes, but as these systems have been expanded, the department has struggled with funding challenges and operational delays due to revised acquisition goals and shifting baseline requirements.

A congressionally mandated Government Accountability Office (GAO) audit of DHS’s major acquisitions said inconsistent funding and changing priorities have led to fragmented biometric strategies across DHS agencies. The Biometric Entry-Exit program, the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA’s Credential Authentication Technology, and Custom and Border Protection’s (CBP) traveler verification services all operate under different funding models and technological architectures, making integration challenging​. The lack of a unified national biometric strategy has added to concerns about redundancy, inefficiencies, and wasted resources.

GAO said several programs had revised their baselines without clearly documenting the reasons for the revisions in the approved baseline documents. “If programs consistently document the change drivers that led to revised baselines, decision-makers would better understand how well programs, especially older ones, are executed over time,” GAO said.

GAO recommended that DHS update its guidance to specify the types of change drivers that major acquisition programs document when revising baselines. DHS agreed with the recommendation.

GAO said one of the biggest challenges facing DHS biometric systems is financial instability. The Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology (HART) program, designed to replace the outdated Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT), has faced repeated schedule and cost changes since its inception in 2016. Initially projected to reach initial operating capability in December 2018 with a budget of $4.7 billion, the program’s current estimate is only a fraction of the original vision, with a cost of $2.3 billion and a delayed timeline of over seven years​.

“The HART program has been plagued with challenges since DHS approved its initial acquisition program baseline in April 2016,” GAO said, adding that “Continued delays in delivering HART capabilities represent a significant challenge to meeting user needs for DHS and its partner agencies that rely on IDENT. Continued reliance on an overextended IDENT system represents an ongoing risk as the legacy system risks failure and additional investments are necessary to keep the system operational.”

GAO said HART “is now meeting its new schedule goals,” but that “initial operating capability in September 2026 … is seven years later than originally planned.

Similarly, the Biometric Entry-Exit program that was designed to verify travelers’ identities at U.S. borders has struggled with funding shortfalls. The program was initially planned to be sustained by visa application fees, but revenue projections were not met. The program expected to collect around $115 million annually, but by 2024, it had only collected about $17.5 million while costs exceeded $67 million​. These financial struggles have forced DHS to consider reducing program capabilities, particularly in exit scanning which could compromise the effectiveness of biometric tracking at U.S. ports of entry.

GAO said, “The anticipated lack of future funding and current funding challenges may prevent the program from completing the land vehicle segment, according to program officials,” who are “currently working on a proposal that will describe a gradual reduction in staff and capabilities, outline rescoping options, and determine what the program can accomplish between” this fiscal year and FY 2027.

GAO said, “The anticipated lack of future funding and current funding challenges may prevent the program from completing the land vehicle segment, according to program officials.”

Meanwhile, President Trump has called for expedited completion and implementation of a Biometric Entry-Exit Visa Tracking System for all travelers coming into and out of the United States.

The implementation of biometric systems has also been hindered by technological challenges, GAO said. HART, despite its massive budget, was deemed not ready for operational assessment as recently as 2022. Testing failures, software development issues, and a lack of robust cybersecurity measures have delayed its progress. DHS officials have cited system integration problems and overcomplicated design as the primary reasons for the delays in fully deploying HART.

The Credential Authentication Technology program administered by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has also faced increasing costs due to the addition of facial recognition verification. The program was originally designed to authenticate passenger identity documents but has been expanded to include biometric authentication, significantly increasing procurement and deployment costs​. As a result, the government has struggled to balance cost efficiency with enhanced security measures.

As of July 2024, TSA had procured and deployed 1,426 CAT units with upgrade kits installed. In May 2024, DHS approved ADE 3 for the CAT-2 production units, which allows the program to procure and deploy these systems. “According to program officials, they will procure production units as the program progresses toward FOC,” GAO said, adding that “the CAT program is using a hub and spoke strategy to deploy upgrade kits quickly … Using this approach, the contractor rents space near a larger airport, or hub, and nearby smaller airports, or spokes. The contractor can then ship upgrade kits to those facilities, where the CAT systems are updated and then delivered back to the airports.

“According to program officials,” GAO said, “this deployment strategy has contributed to the program being nine months ahead of its planned deployment schedule. Program officials also noted that this approach is less disruptive to airports that would otherwise have to provide space to unpack upgrade kits, disassemble the existing systems, and complete the upgrades.”

For biometric entry-exit programs at air and seaports, DHS has encountered equipment integration issues. The facial recognition cameras used by airlines and cruise lines for verification purposes have shown mixed results in performance testing which has required further adjustments before full deployment​. These challenges have raised concerns about whether the technology can deliver accurate and timely results at the scale that the department says is required for national security.

DHS has also faced difficulties in managing biometric programs efficiently. GAO found that frequent leadership changes and shifting oversight responsibilities have created inconsistencies in biometric system deployment. The HART program, for example, was initially overseen by the Office of Biometric Identity Management but was later transferred to the Office of the Chief Information Officer. This change was intended to improve project execution but resulted in governance disruptions and delayed decision-making​.

Moving forward, DHS will have to prioritize establishing clear funding strategies and enhancing program management and coordination.

Article Topics

biometric exit  |  biometrics  |  DHS  |  facial recognition  |  funding  |  GAO (Government Accountability Office)  |  U.S. Government