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By Zack Phillips zphillips@govexec.com Government Executive November 15, 2007
  • 51257

    If there is another US VISIT EXIT PROGRAM, and hopefully this one stays the course, let TSA or another government agency handle it. US VISIT EXIT employees at Newark Int'l airport, during the pilot program, were proud of what we were accomplishing and to have it ended as abruptly as it did, was very dissapointing to all.

    EX -US VISIT EXIT SUPERVISOR Posted May 24, 2008 10:17 PM
  • 38256

    The Customs Senior Inspector has a valid point - if the only thing we wanted was to know if a traveler's document has left the country. We have used I-94s for that purpose for years. To be sure the individual has left, however, a biometric collected at the time of exit must be matched to a biometric collected at entry. US-VISIT conducted a two year pilot that showed the valued, and the difficulties, of collecting and matching exit biometrics. As the article points out, its not the technology that is the problem - at least at air and sea ports. Its where to collect and who does the collection. Hopefully, the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that DHS will publish in the spring will help drive that debate towards resolution.

    Exit Project Worker Posted November 27, 2007 8:43 AM
  • 38142

    Retired ICE made a good point. While not in any way a professional IT specialist, there might be an answer. Since people are scanned into the system when they arrive, and any CBP officer/agent can access their file via their passport, why not simply create a linked EXIT screen? Passenger going home would be able to swipe their documents at an airline counter in the secure areas, just before boarding the plane. Their date/time of departure would be quickly entered into the system, and their file could be electronically archived, waiting for the next entry. Of course, this only applies to legal visitors, but no one has mentioned doing this, why not?

    US Customs Senior Inspector (Retired) Posted November 26, 2007 3:27 AM
  • 38120

    If only all of the American Public really knew how much of a problem this is......the borders have been a problem for more than 20 years....and we now we have to fix the problem in 2..Americans need to wake up and see the problems before they are too monumental to fix..it would cost much less taxpayer money.

    Gov't employee...that knows.. Posted November 24, 2007 3:49 PM
  • 38007

    One of the main reasons it is so hard to track the departure of foreign visitors is because many do not leave.

    They overstay their visas in anticipation of amnesty.

    Retired ICE Posted November 21, 2007 11:06 AM

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