Utilizing new facial comparison technology, a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officer determined that a 26-year-old woman arriving at Washington Dulles International Airport from Accra, Ghana, last weekend was not a match to her passport and was attempting to enter the U.S. illegally.

According to Planet Biometrics, “posing as someone else when attempting to enter the United States is a serious violation of US. Immigration law that could result in criminal prosecution. Inadmissible criminals and other foreign national routinely attempt various means to enter the United States, and may use stolen, purchased or ‘borrowed’ passwords.”

“Customs and Border Protection’s facial comparison system is highly effective and efficient at detecting impostors,” says Casey Durst, CBP’s Director of the Baltimore Field Office.  “CBP’s facial comparison system has a match rate of 99% making it extremely difficult for criminals, terrorists or impostors to enter the country using another person’s identification and travel documents.  This is just one of many ways in which CBP is working to enhance the security of the U.S. while at the same time designing travel processes that are more efficient for the average person.”

Biometric entry and exit technology using facial comparison is in use at Washington-Dulles International Airport to provide additional security and improve efficiency for international travelers. This latest interception is the second using the new technology since its rollout last month.