The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently demonstrated facial biometric capabilities for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Progreso International Bridge in Texas. This effort aims to secure U.S. borders by identifying and testing technologies that strengthen security while facilitating efficient lawful travel for pedestrians.
This initiative responds to a CBP request from October 2025 for solutions to securely and accurately confirm pedestrian departures using biometrics. Arun Vemury, S&T Senior Advisor for Biometrics and Identity, said S&T facilitated the demonstration to support CBP in testing cutting-edge technologies to efficiently perform its mission and meet long-standing legislative requirements.
With this new technology, pedestrians can undergo identity verification by simply walking past cameras as they cross the border. Bridge Director Marga A. Lopez highlighted the importance of safely moving over 1.1 million pedestrians who exit to Mexico annually, thanking S&T and CBP for including them in this innovative pilot program.