Brief
U.S. CBP tests walk‑through facial‑recognition gates at Texas land crossing
The pilot uses NEC, Paravision and AiFi systems and follows congressional funding for biometric Entry‑Exit System expansion.
By Felo News Desk · Published
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has started testing walk‑through facial‑recognition gates at a land border crossing in Texas, according to Biometric Update.
What happened
The trial employs facial‑recognition technology from NEC, Paravision and AiFi. Pedestrian crossings, identified as a major gap in the nation’s Entry‑Exit System (EES), are now being equipped with gates that can scan travelers without requiring them to stop.
What the reports add
Biometric Update notes that Congress has allocated billions of dollars to move the EES into production, and CBP has already screened a billion travelers’ face biometrics since the system’s post‑9/11 launch. The article also mentions parallel developments such as Idemia’s multi‑subject corridor technology in APAC and UK airports updating e‑gates for passport‑free facial checks.
What was said
Janice Kephart, a guest on the Biometric Update Podcast, discussed how the new gates could reshape travel policy and highlighted remaining gaps in the system 25 years after its inception.
How it came about
The pilot follows a broader push to integrate biometric checks earlier in the travel journey, including mobile pre‑registration and the DHS Remote Identity Validation Rally (RIVR‑2) that adds international passports to state‑issued IDs. Data from ICE arrests, fed through Palantir software, will also be used to enhance screening at the gates.
Key facts
- CBP began testing walk‑through facial‑recognition gates at a Texas land border crossing. (biometricupdate.com)
- The gates use technology from NEC, Paravision and AiFi. (biometricupdate.com)
- Congress has allocated billions of dollars to bring the biometric Entry‑Exit System to production. (biometricupdate.com)
- CBP has screened a billion travelers’ face biometrics since the EES began after 9/11. (biometricupdate.com)
- Janice Kephart discussed the pilot on the Biometric Update Podcast. (biometricupdate.com)
Sources
- [1] biometricupdate.com — originally reported as “Border biometrics move toward better gates, or none at all”
