CBP reaches 1 billion biometric traveler checks

Facial screening affects western North Carolina residents traveling by plane

Rutherford County and western North Carolina residents flying internationally through Charlotte Douglas Airport may encounter a camera that compares their face with a passport or other government travel-document photograph.

That technology is part of a nationwide border screening system that U.S. Customs and Border Protection says has surpassed 1 billion traveler identity verifications.

CBP announced the milestone on Oct. 5, saying facial biometrics help officers detect identity fraud, document departures and identify foreign visitors who remain beyond their authorized stay.

For western North Carolina travelers, the connection is already established: Charlotte Douglas introduced facial biometric screening for departing international passengers in 2023.

“Accurately verifying the identity of over 1 billion travelers at air, land, and sea with facial biometrics signifies a historic achievement for CBP and the Department of Homeland Security,” said Diane J. Sabatino, executive assistant commissioner of CBP’s Office of Field Operations.

Since 2018, CBP says it has biometrically identified more than 600,000 overstays and more than 2,300 impostors. The announcement does not provide North Carolina-specific totals.

The agency reports using facial biometrics at all U.S. airports receiving international arrivals, including overseas preclearance locations, and for departures at 66 airports. It also operates biometric screening at 42 seaports and pedestrian entry lanes along the northern and southwest borders.

The expansion follows years of testing and efforts to meet congressional requirements for a biometric entry-exit system.

In the 2025 statement, “Biometric Breakthrough,” CBP described how officers could uncover identity discrepancies that checks of names and travel documents alone missed.

One example involved a traveler arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport with a U.S. passport. Facial comparison prompted further inspection, and fingerprints confirmed that she was using another person’s identity, according to CBP.

The feature also described handheld fingerprint equipment used during departure inspections. In one case, fingerprint checks connected a departing traveler to an IRS impersonation fraud scheme. That example involved fingerprint biometrics, illustrating a separate tool within the agency’s broader identity verification efforts.

CBP’s earlier testing included a facial recognition departure pilot launched with Delta Air Lines in Atlanta in June 2016. The agency worked with airlines to incorporate screening into existing boarding procedures.

According to the Oct. 5 announcement, HR 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, known as OBBBA, signed in July 2025, provided $673 million specifically to expand biometric entry-exit systems. CBP is developing additional vehicle screening and testing cameras that capture images of travelers as they walk through departure areas.

For local residents planning an overseas trip, U.S. citizens can decline CBP facial biometric screening and request a manual travel-document check. 

Travelers can notify an airline representative at an international departure gate or a CBP officer during arrival processing.

CBP says photographs of U.S. citizens are discarded within 12 hours of identity verification. Different retention requirements apply to noncitizen travelers.

Additional information is available at CBP’s biometrics website.