United States Customs and Border Protection issued a request for information at the end of April asking companies to provide details on devices that could capture, in real time, the faces of people inside vehicles when they arrive at border crossings. Within weeks of the RFI being issued, stories began circulating that ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøs entering the United States either will be, or are already, required to submit to facial recognition checks. This claim is missing important context. The CBP has announced one location at the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø border where facial recognition is being used on people in vehicles, says it is  "exploring" solutions to address outbound vehicle lanes and that cameras are being tested at "a few" locations. The agency says being part of the "facial biometric process" is not mandatory.
THE CLAIM
In May, multiple claims circulated online that ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøs entering the United States by car will now undergo mandatory facial recognition checks.Â
A from May 19 with more than 90,000 views claims "Facial recognition checks now mandatory for ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøs entering U.S. by car," while an on the same day with more than 13,000 likes made the same claim.
RATING: Missing contextÂ
A United States Customs and Border Protection issued in April sought details from companies on devices that could capture the faces of travellers heading into the United States at land borders in high enough quality for biometric comparison.Â
Biometrics, using unique biological characteristics like fingerprints or facial structure to identify someone, are already used by the CBP at airports and at cruise terminals. The agency's land border entry points where pedestrians are subject to some type of biometrics. Â
That same list shows two locations where the government says "biometric facial comparison technology" is being tested to process travellers entering the United States through land border ports of entry in personally owned vehicles.Â
As of publication, the two locations listed are Buffalo, N.Y., over the Peace Bridge, and a location in Brownsville, Texas.
There is no publicly available list of where biometrics are being used at exit points.
A announcing the testing of facial biometrics for inbound vehicles at the Buffalo, Peace Bridge port of entry says U.S. citizens who use the lanes with facial biometric technology will have their photo deleted within 12 hours and photos of "foreign nationals who are required to provide biometrics" are stored in the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Automated Biometric Identification System.
The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø government's advice for travellers to the United States says from biometric requirements.
The testing was slated to wrap up in March 2025, according to the news release, which also says travellers who wish to opt out of the biometric testing can use lanes that are not labelled “Biometric.â€
In a statement to ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Tuesday, CBP says it has a congressional mandate to biometrically record all foreign nationals who enter and exit the United States to help track people who stay longer than they are allowed.Â
It says officials have been testing camera technology at a few locations on the northern and southern borders as part of the "Entry/Exit mission."
"CBP continues to explore solutions to address outbound vehicle lanes. No specific timeline has been announced. The goal for expanding to outbound vehicle lanes is to be able to biometrically confirm departure from the U.S.," the statement says.
The agency says being part of the biometric program is not mandatory and adds "we will not 'log' every person."
"Travelers who do not wish to participate in the facial biometric process simply notify a CBP officer, request a manual document check, and are processed consistent with existing requirements for entry to the United States. CBP currently records departures into Canada biographically," the statement says.
SOURCES
Claims posted to on May 19, 2025 () and to May 19, 2025 ()
Request for Information: Land Vehicle Primary Zone Traveler Photo Capture Devices. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, via , accessed May 27, 2025 (, )
Biometrics Locations: Land Border Ports of Entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection , accessed May 27, 2025 ()
CBP Announces Facial Biometric Test for Inbound Vehicle Travelers at Buffalo, Peace Bridge Port of Entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection , Nov. 14, 2024 ()
United States travel advice. Government of Canada , accessed May 29, 2025 ()
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