09/16/2009

News / Customs and Border Protection Use of Technology Results in Apprehension of Imposter

Hebron, Ky. - Customs and Border Protection’s use of advanced technology, US‑VISIT (United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indication Technology) recently resulted in the detection, apprehension and incarceration of an arriving international passenger at the Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport.


US‑VISIT records biographic and biometric information to conduct security checks and verify the identities of international travelers applying for admission into the United States. By linking a person’s biometric information to his or her travel documents reduces the risk that a traveler’s identity or documents could be intentionally misused by someone attempting to gain entry into the United States.


A case in point occurred on March 6, when Mr. Moussa Doucoure, age 29 and a citizen of the country of Mali, arrived via an international flight from Paris, France at the Cincinnati/ N. Ky. International Airport. He presented himself for admission to CBP as a returning Asylee using a U.S. Department of Homeland Security travel document.


Upon his primary inspection by a CBP officer and enrollment into US-VISIT, his fingerprints came up as a mismatch which resulted in a secondary inspection. It was during this secondary inspection that Mr. Doucoure was found to be an imposter to the travel document he presented. His fingerprint and photograph did not match the fingerprint and photograph that was on file for the genuine recipient of the travel document.


“CBP screens all international travelers entering the U.S. and US-VISIT has proved to be an invaluable tool in helping to strengthen border security and enforce the laws of this country,” said David J. Murphy, CBP director of Field Operations in Chicago. “US‑VISIT biometric screening continues to prevent fraudulent document use and has enabled DHS to stop wanted criminals and immigration violators from entering this country. It is because of this state of the art technology and the fine work of our CBP officers and the U.S. Attorney’s Office that this person was brought to justice.”


On September 4, Mr. Doucoure, plead guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge David L. Bunning, for Aggravated Identity Theft.


Mr. Doucoure is currently being held at Boone County Jail, Burlington, Ky., awaiting transport to a Federal Bureau of Prisons Facility in New York State. Parole was not authorized for early release and he will be deported from the United States upon release from prison.


Through the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act, Congress established an expectation that DHS would use biometrics as part of the entry process to biometrically compare and authenticate visa or other travel or entry document issued by DHS or the Department of State. The equipment and software that will enable DHS to biometrically compare and authenticate these documents has been deployed to the ports of entry since October 2005.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/09162009_3.xml

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