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1 [1] (April 16, 2026)

handle is hein.crs/goveuaz0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Informing the legislative debate since 1914 Updated April 16, 2026 Biometric Technologies and Global Security Biometric technologies use unique biological or behavioral attributes-such as DNA, fingerprints, cardiac signatures, voice or gait patterns, and facial or ocular measurements- to authenticate an individual's identity. Although biometric technologies have been in use for decades, recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and Big Data analytics have expanded their application. As these technologies continue to mature and proliferate, largely driven by advances in the commercial sector, they will likely hold growing implications for congressional oversight, civil liberties, U.S. defense authorizations and appropriations, military and intelligence concepts of operations, and the future of war. How are biometric technologes being used today? Biometric technologies are currently used for a number of congressionally authorized or mandated security applications throughout the U.S. government. For example, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-71) granted the Transportation Security Administration the authority to employ biometrics for passenger screening and airport access control. Similarly, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (P.L. 108- 458) required the Department of Homeland Security to operate a biometric entry and exit data system to verify the identity of foreign nationals seeking to enter or exit the United States. These applications are intended to expedite screening processes and reduce human error rates. Biometric technologies are also used by law enforcement agencies, such as the Secret Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation, to assist in the investigation of crimes and to identify missing persons and persons of interest. In addition, the Department of Defense (DOD, now using Department of War as a secondary designation under E.O. 14347 dated September 5, 2025) has used biometric technologies to identify, target, and disrupt enemy combatants and terrorists in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. The Government Accountability Office has assessed that, between 2008 and 2017, DOD used biometric technologies to capture or kill 1,700 individuals and deny 92,000 individuals access to military bases. According to a November 2023 DOD inspector general report, some DOD components have been operating biometric technologies that [do] not have data encryption capabilities and do not require the certification of destruction or sanitization of biometric data when biometric devices are disposed. The report notes that this could jeopardize force protection by providing adversaries with the biometric information and identities of friendly forces and other individuals assisting the United States. Section 1523 of the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA; P.L. 118-159) directs DOD to update DOD Directive 8521.01E, which establishes the department's policy and bureaucratic responsibilities for biometric technologies, within 180 days of the act's passage. The update is to include standards for data encryption and protection on biometric collection devices, a requirement to sanitize biometric data from collection devices and hard drives prior to disposal of the devices and hard drives, and a requirement to maintain records of the sanitization. Congress may monitor the status of this update, which has not been published to date. How coul db ometrc technologies be used n the future? DOD is exploring a range of emerging biometric technologies and biometric applications, including AI techniques that could identify individuals in low light or otherwise obscured conditions and laser techniques that could identify individuals at distances of around 200 meters. Such techniques could be employed in covert and clandestine operations without an individual's knowledge or consent. In the future, biometric technologies could be integrated into lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS)- weapons capable of selecting and engaging targets without the need for manual human control or remote operation. Such weapons could potentially feature a database containing the biometric identifiers of preapproved human targets. The weapons could then use the database to autonomously locate, select, and engage human targets in communications-degraded or -denied environments where traditional systems may not be able to operate. Some analysts have argued that this technology application could increase precision in targeting and thus improve adherence to international humanitarian law (e.g., avoid killing civilians), while others have argued that it is inherently unethical and could violate international humanitarian law. The United States is not publicly known to possess LAWS, although there is no prohibition on their development or the incorporation of biometric technologies into autonomous weapon systems. Weapons manufacturers in both China and Russia have stated that they are developing autonomous systems, which could include biometric features. Biometric technologies could also be integrated into localized or national data collection and surveillance networks. For example, as Center for Security and Emerging Technology analyst Dahlia Peterson has noted, [Chinese] officials maintain national DNA databases and extensive video surveillance networks-augmented by Al- enabled voice and facial recognition technology-to monitor and track individuals within China. These systems could continue to be linked and supplemented with private information such as medical, travel, and purchase history. Although the Chinese government claims that these biometric applications contribute to predictive policing and