DHS Details Robust Biometric Plan, Faces Potential Funding Slash

"The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has an ambitious biometric agenda going into Fiscal Year 2025. However, the directorate's requested budget for FY 2025 was slashed by $91.5 million by the House Committee on Appropriations.

Overall, S&T's research and development (R&D) was funded at $339 million to remain available until September 30, 2027. The directorate had asked for $402 million, which is still about $60 million less than it asked for in FY 2023 and FY 2024.

The S&T Directorate has requested $3.3 million for biometrics and identity screening R&D for FY 2025, which it said is consistent with the FY 2023 appropriation it received. Funding will support Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) and US Secret Service (USSS) gaps, advise and supply technical assistance to measure and operationalize enhancements to the use of biometrics, and apply RDT&E to determine how components can effectively use biometric technology to rapidly verify or identify the identity of individuals within their respective mission areas.

S&T's applied R&D biometric initiatives are under its Biometrics and Identity Management Program, which currently consists of two separate projects  Biometric and Identity Screening, and Biometric and Identity Concepts.

The three major programs are 

  Incorporation of facial recognition into vetting capabilities.

  Biometric integration with the Office of Biometric and Identity Management (OBIM).

  Biometrics for vehicles at POEs.

S&T said it accomplishes this by conducting technology foraging, technology readiness evaluations, and operational readiness assessments to inform DHS acquisition planning for more capable/lower cost technologies, including biometric recognition capabilities, and to strengthen vetting and facilitate lawful and legitimate travel.

During the 4th quarter of the 2024 fiscal year, the S&T Directorate said it intends to do the following 

  Deliver to CBP OFO a biometric test and evaluation report on its findings on COTS technologies that evaluate the capture of high-quality facial images of the vehicle driver and all passengers prior to the vehicle arriving at a land port of entry inspection booth.

  Conduct a rally to inform DHS on identity and biometric technologies that both meet current component operational use cases and preserve privacy.

  Deliver results of biometric workflow analysis and evaluation of technologies to support the incorporation and integration of USSS biometric-enabled missions with the Office of Biometric Identity Management Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology system.

By the end of FY 2025, S&T also intends to provide Immigrations and Customs Enforcement with biometric identification, speech/language, and other tools to combat online sexual exploitation.

Meanwhile, the S&T Directorate said, its Innovative Systems Technology Centers are working on an providing the ability of DHS to establish and verify an individual's identity to enable it to perform risk-based decision making that is tailored to the individual.

With the supply chain challenges surrounding 5G creating vulnerabilities in our infrastructure, to emerging new use of digital capabilities such as mobile driver's licenses (mDL), digital trust and its enabling technologies will be a prevalent issue in the coming years, with widespread impact to many department missions.

The directorate said that digital trust is critical to verifying the validity of data, maintaining privacy, and ensuring integrity across multiple platforms and applications. The Innovative Systems Technology Centers' research into digital identity, trust and privacy focuses on enabling digital trust across platforms, technologies, and applications of importance to DHS."

"Q: What is the DHS Science and Technology Directorate's biometric agenda?

A: The S&T Directorate has an ambitious biometric agenda, which includes incorporation of facial recognition into vetting capabilities, biometric integration with the Office of Biometric and Identity Management, and biometrics for vehicles at POEs.

Q: How much funding did the S&T Directorate request for biometrics and identity screening R&D for FY 2025?

A: $3.3 million

Q: What are the three major programs under the Biometrics and Identity Management Program?

A: Incorporation of facial recognition into vetting capabilities, Biometric integration with the Office of Biometric and Identity Management, and Biometrics for vehicles at POEs.

Q: What is the goal of the Biometric and Identity Screening Project?

A: The goal is to provide knowledge products and subject matter expert support on best practices and workflows to utilize Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology biometric matching services.

Q: What is the focus of the Innovative Systems Technology Centers' research into digital identity, trust and privacy?

A: Enabling digital trust across platforms, technologies, and applications of importance to DHS."