# fingerprint readers at border control
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingerprint-readers-at-border-control/356209
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 10, 2006, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingerprint-readers-at-border-control/356209 "2006-05-10T11:01:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@scm1001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scm1001)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2006, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingerprint-readers-at-border-control/356209/1 "2006-05-10T11:01:17Z")
Everytime I enter the US on business of pleasure now I have my picture taken and fingerprints read. What are they doing with the information? Just storing it in case a future investigation needs it? Or are my fingerprints being actively scanned against known terrorists and criminals so I can be arreated instantly? Could they tell on entry if someone was impersonating me?
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### Author:  [@scm1001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scm1001)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2006, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingerprint-readers-at-border-control/356209/2 "2006-05-10T11:02:52Z")
pleasure or business
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### Author:  [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2006, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingerprint-readers-at-border-control/356209/3 "2006-05-10T11:59:37Z")
> [@scm1001](#):
>
> Everytime I enter the US on business of pleasure now I have my picture taken and fingerprints read. What are they doing with the information? Just storing it in case a future investigation needs it? Or are my fingerprints being actively scanned against known terrorists and criminals so I can be arreated instantly? Could they tell on entry if someone was impersonating me?
[From the horse’s mouth:](http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/editorial/editorial_0525.xml)
"Why do we collect this information?
The biographic and biometric data are used to match your identity against the data captured by the State Department at the time the visa was issued to ensure that you are the same person who received the visa. In addition, your digital picture that was taken at the visa-issuing point is displayed to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer for visual comparison and confirmation.
Using all these tools, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer will then either admit you or conduct additional inquiries based on the verification results. These procedures reduce fraud, identity theft, and the risk that terrorists and criminals will enter the U.S. undetected or by using stolen or fraudulent documents."
If the system works properly, visa applicants have already been screened against databases of criminals/known terrorists before the visa was issued.
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### Author:  [@scm1001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scm1001)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2006, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingerprint-readers-at-border-control/356209/4 "2006-05-10T14:32:51Z")
yes that is the official reply - but I suppose my question is - does it work in realtime (or even work at all) and has anyone been caught on entry solely due to a fingerprint scan or picture?
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### Author:  [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)
#### Post date: [May 10, 2006, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingerprint-readers-at-border-control/356209/5 "2006-05-10T22:40:55Z")
More importantly though, once the matching of the data is done and a person is cleared, what happens to the biographic/biometric data? Is it destroyed? Or kept permanently?
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### Author:  [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)
#### Post date: [May 11, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fingerprint-readers-at-border-control/356209/6 "2006-05-11T17:29:56Z")
Ah, but the business of pleasure sounds so much more…fufilling. And a good way to get pictured and printed here in the states.