Rep. Cuellar Reintroduces Legislation to Stop Bad Actors From Entering the U.S.

Today, Congressmen Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (D-Texas) and Michael McCaul (R-Texas) reintroduced the Biometric Identification Transnational Migration Alert Program (BITMAP) Authorization Act, which would authorize a successful Department of Homeland Security (DHS) program that partners with other countries to help identify and stop dangerous criminals and potential terrorists from reaching our borders.

The Biometric Identification Transnational Migration Alert Program (BITMAP) would allow the U.S. government to equip international partners with specialized training and technology to collect biometric and biographic information from individuals using illegal travel routes. The goal is to help identify high-risk individuals earlier in the process, before they reach U.S. ports of entry. The legislation would formally establish the program within the Department of Homeland Security and enhance congressional oversight of its implementation and outcomes. It also maintains that U.S. citizens may choose to opt out of providing biometrics for the entry and exit system.

"Strong border security depends on international coordination and having the resources to stop threats before they reach our communities. The BITMAP Authorization Act will help us identify dangerous individuals earlier, expand collaboration with regional partners, and strengthen congressional oversight through firm reporting requirements on partner agreements and program outcomes," said Congressman Cuellar. "As Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations, I thank my friend and colleague Congressman McCaul for his collaboration on this bipartisan effort to ensure law enforcement has what it needs to protect the American people and stay ahead of future security threats."

"Bad actors like traffickers, terrorists, and transnational gang members may lie about their identity in order to enter our country undetected, but they can't fake biometrics," said Congressman McCaul. "The successful BITMAP program empowers our regional partners to identify and stop these individuals long before they reach our borders. I'm proud to reintroduce this bill on a bipartisan basis with Congressman Cuellar. The more we push our borders out, the safer our homeland will be."

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Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. is a senior member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. Previously, he served as a Texas State Representative and Texas Secretary of State.

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