The Department of Homeland Security is rolling out a new surveillance dragnet for non-U.S. citizens at any point of departure from the country, starting the day after Christmas.
The new rule allows Customs and Border Protection to photograph visitors, immigrants and green card holders leaving the United States. As the agency noted in its announcement in the Federal Register, there is currently no system in place to collect biometric data on people leaving the country.
In the announcement, agency heads said they want to collect biometric data of people coming into the country to compare it with the data of people leaving. They said the data would be used to combat potential terror threats, prevent visa overstays and visa fraud. It also does away with a rule that those under 14 and over 79 were exempt from having to submit to having their photo taken.
DHS is collecting comments from the public on the implementation until Nov. 26.
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Emmanuel Damas, 56, died Monday at Honor Health hospital in Scottsdale after complaining of a toothache in mid-February in ICE custody. -
Emmanuel Damas, 56, was in the process of seeking asylum after entering the U.S. in 2024 on a humanitarian parole program established under the Biden administration. -
ICE has released a 79-year-old Cuban woman from the Eloy Detention Center, after she spent nine months there. Julia Benitez suffers from dementia and was known inside the detention center as "la abuela," or the grandmother. -
Immigration and Customs Enforcement says agents arrested more than 20 people in a raid in Phoenix this week near 15th and Peoria avenues. -
President Donald Trump on Thursday fired his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and said he will nominate in her place Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin.
