Motion on Public-Facing
Biometrics at Port Facilities
Item No. 8a_supp_______
Meeting Date: December 10, 2019
Eric Schinfeld, Sr. Manager, Federal
Government Relations
Veronica Valdez, Commission Specialist
Community Engagement
• Two Commission Study Sessions (9/10 & 10/29) featuring stakeholders from all sides of the
discussion, including:
– Airlines
– Cruise lines
– Technology companies
– U.S. Customs & Border Protection
– Immigrant & Civil Liberties advocates
• Additional conversations 1:1 with stakeholders
• Research and outreach to other jurisdictions, ports, trade associations, state and federal
elected officials, and policy experts regarding best practices and key issues
• Commissioners visited airports implementing facial recognition technology
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Public-Facing Biometrics Guiding Principles
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Justified
Should be used only for a clear and intended purpose and not for surveillance
on large groups without a lawful purpose
Private
Should be stored for no longer than required by applicable law or regulations,
and should be protected against unauthorized access
Equitable
Should be reasonably accurate in identifying people of all backgrounds, and
systems should be in place to treat mismatching issues
Transparent
Should be communicated to visitors and travelers
Lawful
Should comply with all laws, including privacy laws and laws prohibiting
discrimination
Ethical
Should act ethically when deploying technology or handling biometric data
Voluntary
Should be voluntary and reasonable alternatives should be provided for those
who not wish to participate through an opt
-in or opt-out process
Immediate Next Steps
1. Any proposed use or expansion of public-facing biometric technology by Port or private
sector partners must demonstrate alignment with these principles
– Interim review and approval process
– Any proposal will be communicated in advance directly to the Port Commission and
through the Port’s external communications channels
2. The Port will communicate these principles to federal partners (CBP, TSA, DHS, Coast
Guard, etc.) and work with these agencies and Congress to align federal programs at Port
facilities with Port policy regarding utilization of public-facing biometric technology
3. Port-wide Working Group will deliver further policy recommendations governing the use
of public-facing biometric technology at Port facilities by end of Q2 2020
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