In December 2019, the Port of Seattle Commission adopted seven guiding principles for the use of public-facing biometric technology at Port facilities, including Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and directed staff to develop enforceable policies by early 2020. The document provides an update on a working group and external advisory group formed to translate those principles into concrete policy recommendations, with a focus on facial recognition technology used during international passenger departures. It also outlines the federal background behind biometric screening, including a Congressional mandate requiring U.S. Customs and Border Protection to implement biometric entry and exit tracking for international travelers.Open full document
Notes
A briefing memorandum to the Port of Seattle Commission updating progress on the Biometrics Working Group established following motion 2019-13 passed December 10, 2019. The memo outlines the seven guiding principles for public-facing biometrics, reports on working group and external advisory group meetings, and presents draft recommendations specific to biometric air exit using CBP’s Traveler Verification Service. The document details the legislative history of biometric entry/exit requirements and the current state of facial recognition use at Port facilities.