U.S. Customs and Border Patrol has announced they will use facial recognition technology to screen passengers entering the country at the Port of Boston.
“Facial biometrics adds an extra layer of security and further enhances the travel experience by utilizing safe, touch-free technology that streamlines entry procedures,” Jennifer B. De La O, director of field operations for CBP’s Boston field office, said along with the announcement.
According to CBP, facial recognition technology is already deployed at more than a dozen other U.S. ports of entry where it is being used to screen debarking passengers. On Monday, the agency responsible for securing the nation’s borders said they have partnered with Norwegian Cruise Lines to bring the controversial security protocols to the city’s port for the first time.
“With the return of cruise ships to Boston, CBP is working diligently with Norwegian Cruise Lines to make travel safer and more efficient,” De La O said.
According to CBP the process for passengers entering Boston via a cruise ship going forward will consist of a brief pause for a photograph, which will be instantly checked against the traveler’s passport photo. Those not wishing to participate in the facial recognition program can opt out and instead use paper documentation to demonstrate identification.
“Once verified, passengers are allowed to proceed through inspections and exit the terminal. This innovative entry process further secures and enhances the customer experience while protecting the privacy of all travelers. With a more than 98% accuracy rate, the improved arrival process using facial biometrics verifies the traveler’s identity within two seconds,” the federal agency said along with the announcement.
This is not the first time the federal government has added facial recognition to their security toolbox in New England or elsewhere. Facial recognition software is currently being tested at 16 domestic airports, one of which is Boston’s Logan International Airport.
“To date, more than 227 million travelers have participated in the biometric facial comparison process at air, land, and seaports of entry,” a spokesperson for CBP wrote.
The result, according to CBP, is the arrest of hundreds of identity thieves attempting to enter the U.S. unlawfully.
“As of March 2023, CBP has leveraged facial biometrics to prevent more than 1,750 impostors using genuine travel documents from illegally entering the United States at air and land ports of entry,” the spokesperson said.
Facial recognition technology has faced criticism for its tendency to misidentify Black and Asian people, with some studies showing the systems do so at rates 100 times higher than for white men.