The US will expand the use of facial recognition technology to track non-citizens entering and leaving the country, a government document published on 24 October 2025 confirms.
The new regulation, effective 26 December, will allow border authorities to require non-citizens to be photographed at airports, seaports, land crossings, and other departure points. It also permits submission of other biometrics, including fingerprints or DNA.
Previously exempt groups, including children under 14 and adults over 79, may also now be included in facial recognition checks.
“US authorities could require the submission of other biometrics, such as fingerprints or DNA,” the document said.
The move is part of a wider push by President Donald Trump to reduce illegal immigration. While resources have been directed to securing the US-Mexico border, the administration has also focused on lowering the number of visa overstays.
Facial recognition is already used for all commercial air entries but is limited for exits. CBP estimates full biometric entry-exit coverage at all commercial airports and seaports could take three to five years.
Privacy concerns remain, with watchdog groups warning of potential overreach and misidentifications. A 2024 US Commission on Civil Rights report found facial recognition tests were more likely to misidentify Black people and other minority groups.
The 1996 law requiring an automated entry-exit system has never been fully implemented. The new regulation seeks to finally close this gap.