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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security today initiated enhanced security procedures for international travelers visiting the U.S. through San Francisco International Airport, the agency announced.
Since 2004, non-U.S. citizens arriving at the airport’s International Terminal were subject to photographing and a digital scan of two fingerprints.
Today, visitors will have all 10 fingerprints scanned, a procedure that according to Homeland Security officials will more accurately verify identities and stop criminals or potential criminals from entering the country.
The scans are crosschecked against records of immigration violators, FBI criminal records and known or suspected terrorists, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
In addition to “stopping potential security risks,” according to officials, the program is designed to help prevent the use of false documents and protect visitors from identity theft.
The 10-fingerprint scanning procedure is already in effect at airports in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and Houston, according to officials.
The program is scheduled to be implemented at all air, sea and land border ports of entry by the end of the year.
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It will look like this: New security procedures coming for San Francisco Airport