Customs and Border Protection says the use of facial recognition technology at an entry processing station at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York identified an impostor attempting to use a U.S. passport to enter the country on a flight from Mexico City. CBP says the technology, coupled with an interview of the individual, resulted in the determination that the 26-year old woman wasn’t the true bearer of the passport. She was returned to Mexico on the next available flight.

Customs and Border Protection is implementing facial recognition checks for travelers departing the U.S. by air. Photo: CBP

HaloLights, LLC has received a $199,540 award from the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate to conduct prototype testing of wearable canine technology that monitors the health of the dogs. S&T says that the K9s have a “high mortality risk” due to their work in wide ranging environmental conditions. Florida-based HaloLights will further develop its Canine Health Analytics Monitoring Platform, dubbed C.H.A.M.P., and receive feedback from the Border Patrol during testing. The award was made under the Silicon Valley Innovation Program.

The Federal Aviation Administration has established temporary restrictions on drone operations over a number of Department of Defense and Justice facilities to address concerns related to the use of the unmanned aircraft systems over national security sensitive facilities. The restrictions, which prohibit drone flights up to 400 feet of the facilities, include correctional institutions, medical centers, detention centers, several Army bases and ammunition plants, and Pearl Harbor Naval Defense Sea Area in Honolulu.

The Department of Homeland Security is collecting information to assess the effectiveness of the Transportation Worker Identification Card (TWIC) program in boosting security and mitigating security risks at regulated maritime facilities and vessels. Until the assessment is done, Congress prohibits the Coast Guard from implementing any rule requiring the use of biometric readers for TWIC. Comments will be accepted until April 8.