Airlines collecting exit data from travelers still possible, DHS official says.

• Author: Magnuson, Stew
• Position: SECURITYBEAT

* A controversial plan to have airlines collect biometric data from foreign passengers leaving the United States is still a possibility, a Department of Homeland Security official said.

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DHS' US-VISIT program collects fingerprints and digital photos from visitors arriving in the United States, but does not have a system in place to verify if and when travelers have departed.

The program has run several pilot projects to collect this data, but has not come up with a solution. A proposal to have airlines collect the information for DHS has been met with widespread opposition from the industry.

That option is still on the table, said Steve Yonkers, deputy assistant director of business policy and planning at the US-VISIT program.

The department has tested two portable biometric collection devices, one that fits inside a small case, and another handheld version, that can collect fingerprints and photographs.

Both Transportation Security Administration screeners and Customs and Border Protection agents have used the collection devices to see not only if they worked, but also to determine if they had an impact on operations. For example, how quickly can passengers move through all the security checks?

"Overall, we found that the technologies worked extremely well. And both CBP and TSA say they are viable options," Yonkers said at the National Defense Industrial Association biometrics conference.

Yonkers suggested that it could still be...