US Expands Biometric Data Sharing with Chile, Ecuador to Tackle Crime, Irre

Published Date : 8/4/2025 

The United States has signed biometric data sharing agreements with Chile and Ecuador to enhance security cooperation against transnational organized crime and irregular migration. The agreements allow for the exchange of biometric and biographic information, raising questions about privacy and data governance. 

On July 31, the United States and Ecuador finalized a bilateral agreement aimed at heightening their cooperation against transnational organized crime and irregular migration flows. This agreement establishes formal procedures for the exchange of biometric and related biographic information between the two nations. The signing ceremony took place during the official visit to Ecuador of U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

The U.S.–Ecuador biometric data sharing agreement represents a significant step in regional coordination against transnational crime and irregular migration. It follows a model with Chile and builds upon U.S. commitments under broader hemispheric initiatives. While the agreement promises enhanced security intelligence and risk assessment capabilities, it also raises pressing questions about privacy, data governance, and oversight, especially considering Ecuador’s domestic legal protections and international concerns over biometric data treaties.

Under the new framework, Ecuador will share biometric identifiers such as fingerprints, iris scans, and facial recognition data of individuals flagged as potential security risks, criminals, or irregular migrants. This data will be submitted to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) and, eventually, its successor Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology (HART) system. This enables cross-referencing against U.S. records to identify individuals of concern.

The agreement empowers both nations to perform risk assessments on cargo and traveler movements. Whenever Ecuadorian authorities identify a suspect or profile individuals detained in border or immigration encounters, that biometric data may be transmitted to DHS. Conversely, DHS can respond with relevant intelligence to help Ecuadorian authorities intercept potential threats before they move onward, supporting a shared goal of securing lawful migration and disrupting organized criminal networks.

This arrangement reflects the broader Biometric Data Sharing Partnership (BDSP) model under DHS’s International Biometric Information Sharing Program. Under BDSP, U.S. technical and possibly financial assistance helps partner nations build domestic biometric screening capabilities that are fully integrated with DHS systems. These partnerships operate under stringent legal agreements specifying permitted uses, oversight, and data privacy safeguards. Importantly, all agreement documentation restricts onward sharing without explicit consent from the originating country, and each biometric query must be tagged with metadata specifying its authorized purpose (e.g., counter-terrorism, immigration enforcement). DHS and Ecuador must conduct regular audits and reviews to ensure compliance.

This pact also follows closely on the heels of a similar agreement signed between the U.S. and Chile just one day earlier. That earlier pact likewise enabled Chile to send fingerprints, iris scans, and other biometric data to DHS to block potentially dangerous individuals from traveling to the U.S. By mid-2025, DHS had moved rapidly to secure these two partnerships as part of a broader regional strategy. The Ecuador agreement is part of a coordinated regional effort to strengthen security cooperation under the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection, a framework established in June 2022 by twenty leaders from the Western Hemisphere to address the challenges of migration and forced displacement. DHS has already entered BDSP agreements with countries such as Costa Rica, and the program aligns with expanded initiatives including more lawful migration pathways, counter-trafficking efforts, and enhanced public awareness tools like the CBP One app.

Privacy advocates have raised concerns about the lack of transparency in previous U.S. biometric-sharing arrangements, particularly in Central America. Existing non-binding memoranda with Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador have been criticized for potential misuse of sensitive data, broad scope, and insufficient human rights protections. Civil rights groups have called for stronger safeguards, legal oversight, and termination of agreements lacking adequate protections.

In Ecuador, the data sharing agreement must be reconciled with the country’s Personal Data Protection Organic Law, which was enacted in May 2021. This law recognizes biometric data as sensitive personal information and limits its processing to specific circumstances such as explicit consent, public interest tasks, judicial orders, or lawful obligations. Ecuador’s data protection authority enforces rights including access, rectification, deletion, and breach notifications. These legal standards could shape how Ecuador manages data transfers under the pact. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the main purpose of the U.S.-Ecuador biometric data sharing agreement?

A: The main purpose of the U.S.-Ecuador biometric data sharing agreement is to enhance cooperation against transnational organized crime and irregular migration by allowing the exchange of biometric and biographic information between the two nations.

Q: How does the agreement help in risk assessment?

A: The agreement empowers both nations to perform risk assessments on cargo and traveler movements, enabling them to intercept potential threats and support the goal of securing lawful migration and disrupting organized criminal networks.

Q: What are the privacy concerns associated with the agreement?

A: Privacy concerns include the potential misuse of sensitive data, broad scope, and insufficient human rights protections, especially in light of Ecuador’s Personal Data Protection Organic Law and international concerns over biometric data treaties.

Q: How does the U.S.-Ecuador agreement fit into broader hemispheric initiatives?

A: The agreement is part of a coordinated regional effort to strengthen security cooperation under the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection, which aims to address the challenges of migration and forced displacement in the Western Hemisphere.

Q: What legal safeguards are in place to protect biometric data under the agreement?

A: The agreement operates under stringent legal agreements specifying permitted uses, oversight, and data privacy safeguards. Each biometric query must be tagged with metadata specifying its authorized purpose, and regular audits and reviews are required to ensure compliance. 

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