Registered Traveler

Jody BlankeMercer University

ALSB, OttawaAugust 19, 2004

• Transportation Security Administration (TSA)– Agency within Department of

Homeland Security• Registered Traveler Pilot Program

– Volunteers only– Information to be provided includes:

• Full name• Other names used• Social Security number• Home address• Home telephone number• Cell phone number• E-mail address• Date of birth• Place of birth• Nationality• Gender• Prior addresses (5 years)• Drivers license number• Biometrics – fingerprints and/or iris scan

• Registered Traveler Pilot Program– U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals,

permanent legal residents– Data stored on individual’s RT Smart

Card and in RT databases– RTs will be required to go through

airport’s primary screening, but will not be selected randomly for secondary screening

– There will be express or designated lanes for RTs

– Airports• Minneapolis-St. Paul (Northwest)(July 7)• LAX (United)(July 23)• Houston (Continental)((August 3)• Boston Logan (American)(late August)• Washington Reagan (American)(late

August)• Pilot program to last about 90 days

• Biometrics– Fingerprints, retina scans and iris

scans are most reliable– Iris scan

• Non-invasive – scan from 3 to 10 inches away

• Recognition tests – “almost flawless”

• Odds against false match – 1 in 1.2 million

• Iridian Technologies (patent holder)– Claims it can match an iris scan in a

database of 100,000 samples in 2-3 seconds. Fingerprint match would take 15 minutes

• Objections (EPIC)– Need to ensure greater

transparency• TSA has exempted RT from

disclosing the “categories of sources of records in the system”

– Need to provide enforceable rights of access and correction

• No time lime or appeal process for requests to access data

– Need to limit collection of information to the relevant and necessary

• TSA has exempted RT from Privacy Act requirement to limit data collection to the relevant and necessary

• Other Programs– Frankfurt airport

• 6-month program to test 3-second iris scan

– UK airports• 5-year program to test 12-second

iris scan for “foreign nationals”

– US-VISIT• Department of Homeland Security• Entry and exit pilots for foreign

visitors• Entry program began in Jan. 2004

at 115 airports and 15 seaports• Exit program begins in Aug. and

Sept. at 15 airports• Travel documents reviewed, two

index fingers digitally scanned, digital photograph taken.