Faces, Fingerprints, and DNA: How ICE is Using Technology for Immigration and Deportation Purposes
Starting on December 26, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will begin photographing everyone who travels to or from the U.S. and is not a citizen, meaning green card and visa holders will also be affected.
Non-citizens of all ages will be required to submit a photo at all U.S. entrances, including land borders, seaports, and airports. If you choose not to have your photo taken, then a border patrol agent will manually inspect your documents.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has cited concerns about identity fraud and national security; the program is meant to modernize the process and make it more efficient. Once this information enters the system, it will be available to all government agencies, possibly including local police.
On top of this, DHS has also rolled out a mobile app to be used by officials such as ICE and USCIS officers. The
“Fortify” or
“FortID” app will be used to gather data in the field with no restrictions, unlike U.S. entrances. It will also be used to verify personal documents such as passports and driver’s licenses.
Facial recognition technology will also be put into effect at certain locations under DHS and police surveillance; this will affect everyone in the camera's range, not just non-citizens. Even though the policies are aimed at non-citizens, that doesn’t mean citizens will not be affected.
There is no clear statement on how this data will be stored.
DHS has also proposed a ruling to increase biometric collections with immigration applications, with the potential to collect data from citizens.
It would also remove the over-79 and under-14 age limits, which allowed some exemptions in the past. The definition of biometrics would be widened to include: fingerprints, DNA samples, voice prints, iris scans, facial recognition images, and behavioral and “genetic” identifiers.
This would apply to all people who are involved in an application, potentially including U.S. citizen sponsors. After collecting the data, it would be stored in a database until the applicant gets their citizenship, but that doesn’t mean it will automatically be deleted.
There is a possibility that this data may be stored for future usage in cases concerning national security or law enforcement purposes. It will also introduce an “extraordinary circumstances” standard, whereas in the past, immigration officers had discretion on how missed biometric appointments were handled.
It’s likely that this standard will be stricter on what qualifies for a rescheduling; otherwise, USCIS will outright deny or abandon an application. DHS will also have the authority to collect data during any arrest, detention, or other “encounter”; what qualifies as an “encounter” has not been clarified, but may be in the final ruling. This broad term may possibly include home visits, traffic stops, or workplace raids.
Many critics have pushed back on this proposal, citing privacy concerns.
Public comments are open until January 2, 2026, and anyone can submit their opinion on the matter — you don’t have to be a citizen or disclose your identity. If you would like to take a closer look or submit a public comment, you can follow this link to get more details.
As DHS moves forward with these changes, it’s important to stay up to date with any new information that comes out and how it will affect your case, the way you travel, or your future filings. If you are unsure how this will affect your application or are just curious about how these changes will be put into place, you should contact an immigration attorney as soon as possible.
Consulting with a lawyer will give you a better understanding of your options and rights in a system that is changing quickly.
