Uncle Sam Wants to Scan Your Iris and Collect Your DNA, Citizen or Not
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https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/04/dhs_wants_to_collect_biometric_data/
If you're filing an immigration form - or helping someone who is - the Feds may soon want to look in your eyes, swab your cheek, and scan your face. The US Department of Homeland Security wants to greatly expand biometric data collection for immigration applications, covering immigrants and even some US citizens tied to those cases.
DHS, through its component agency US Citizenship and Immigration Services, on Monday proposed a sweeping expansion of the agency's collection of biometric data. While ostensibly about verifying identities and preventing fraud in immigration benefit applications, the proposed rule goes much further than simply ensuring applicants are who they claim to be.
First off, the rule proposes expanding when DHS can collect biometric data from immigration benefit applicants, as "submission of biometrics is currently only mandatory for certain benefit requests and enforcement actions." DHS wants to change that, including by requiring practically everyone an immigrant is associated with to submit their biometric data.
"DHS proposes in this rule that any applicant, petitioner, sponsor, supporter, derivative, dependent, beneficiary, or individual filing or associated with a benefit request or other request or collection of information, including U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and lawful permanent residents, and without regard to age, must submit biometrics unless DHS otherwise exempts the requirement," the rule proposal said.
DHS also wants to require the collection of biometric data from "any alien apprehended, arrested or encountered by DHS."
It's not explicitly stated in the rule proposal why US citizens associated with immigrants who are applying for benefits would have to have their biometric data collected. DHS didn't answer questions to that end, though the rule stated that US citizens would also be required to submit biometric data "when they submit a family-based visa petition."
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