Homeland Security

cozumel · Jun 20, 2007, 06:57 PM

Anyone know how long fingerprints and eye photos are kept by US authorities upon arrival in the US by air?

I won't enter the US by air while this goes on. In a supposedly free country it is an infringement of my privacy and liberties. Is this done on land borders from the US as well as I need to to know whether to avoid entry to the US.

This is on a point of principal btw. I have nothing to hide from US authorities but do not want my fingerprints held as I am not a criminal nor am I involved with any criminal or terrorist activities....

Like I say, it is a breach of my human rights imo.

OldBuzzard · Jun 20, 2007, 07:34 PM

Our country, our rules. If you want to visit you have to play by them.

It's no different than any other country. While you may not like that rule, I'm sure that if you looked you can find 'rules' from other countries that you would find just as distasteful.

cozumel · Jun 20, 2007, 07:55 PM

It's not about the rules. It's about freedoms. The US is meant to be about democracy, freedoms and the upholding of human rights.

Anyhow, the question was how long are your prints held on record. Forever? or five years? Or what? I don't really have a problem with this security law if prints and photos are only held temporarily and then erased.

Edit: I don't want to visit if my prints are held on a permanent basis. The US would move to the bottom of my list if that was the case.

OmegaRED · Jun 20, 2007, 08:27 PM

If you're not an American citizen then who cares if they fingerprint you? Homeland probably keeps those records within the United States but if not, well, don't leave your prints if you murder someone in your own country

If it bothers you that much just fly to Windsor, Canada and then drive across to Detroit and catch a flight there.

Yousaif · Jun 21, 2007, 12:36 AM

If you are an American citizen then you won't get printed. It is only for people entering from countries that are on the Visa-waiver program.

Reckless187 · Jul 9, 2007, 08:48 AM

With everting thats been happenening since 9/11 I wouldn't be suprised if certain prints are kept on record permanently. Who care either way, unless you're planning on doing something dodgy. They can keep my prints permanently if they want. Damn they can stick a tag on me as long as they dont start putting on the rubber gloves or send me on a detour to camp x-ray. Is that resort still open?

Dowaco · Jul 10, 2007, 02:05 PM

I own a gun so they have my prints. I would guess that once they are on file, they keep them forever. Imagine if a terrorist's fingerprints were on file but they were purged after 5 years. The press would have a field day and heads would roll. For all I care, they can have voice patterns, facial recognition, DNA, fingerprints, and retinal scans for everyone. It takes no freedom from me, only the freedom to get away with a hypothetical future crime. And that's not something specifically protected by the constitution. Non-citizens have no freedoms to lose so they can decide if they want to come to the US or not.
Heck, I think all visitors should get GPS locater bracelets coded to their visa number.

Maddogg6 · Jul 10, 2007, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Imagine if a terrorist's fingerprints were on file but they were purged after 5 years. The press would have a field day and heads would roll....

Well - freedom in the US means - innocent until proven guilty (edit: as well as 'redeeming ones self to society' - some people actually learn from mistakes if given a chance /edit) ... despite what 'field day' the press may have... the media would love for us to loose freedom, so they have something to sensationalize and sell more advertisements.

Quote:

It takes no freedom from me

Sure it does - freedom of privacy... heres what I don't like about all this 'storing' of information...
A centralized location of all this information becomes a target, what if a terrorist gets ability to change DNA/finger prints/retinal scans - and does something that leads authorities to your door. Or how a bout a pissed off politician / General - or develops mental problems (whos that NASA chick again??)

People have hacked into defense dept. computers - so its *not* paranoid and *is* possible.
Hell, all it would take is someone on the inside - how difficult would it be for a person to keep spotless record - gain high security clearance - then flip and use that access against us? Its not a matter of 'if' its a matter of when.
Hack into a complex database like our DNA/finger prints/retinal scan data - and that spotty history is erased - or worse - transfered to you.

Credit fraud - youd think when it comes to money this would be impossible... but it happens regularly... now apply this logic to our gov't with a history of botching simpler things like hurricane response. Defense contractors and lost laptops with sensitive data....

cozumel · Jul 11, 2007, 10:42 AM

So if I had hooks instead of hands, glass eyes and a guide dog what would the Homeland Security guys do?????

Dowaco · Jul 11, 2007, 05:37 PM

Cavity search the dog, lol.