U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced that foreign visitors departing from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) are required to follow checkout procedures before departing on their flight. Visitors are asked to provide their two index fingerscans and hold for a digital photo as part of a pilot program to test and evaluate an automated biometric exit process.

To help the process run smoothly, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers will provide foreign visitors with a card explaining the exit process when they arrive in the United States at one of the airports participating in the pilot. Directional map cards will be distributed by the airlines and signs will be strategically located throughout the airport directing the visitors to the exit stations.

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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service arrested eight United Kingdom citizens and one New Zealand citizen recently at the Smith-Reynolds Airport in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who were employed by a company sub-contracted to refit Navy P-3 Orion aircraft.

The Lockheed P-3 Orion aircraft is the Navy's primary long-range anti-submarine patrol aircraft and is also used for electronic surveillance.

The aliens entered the country under the United States' visa waiver program, which allows citizens of certain countries to use their passport to enter for short business or pleasure stays. They entered the country through various international airports. Aliens are prohibited from accepting employment while here on a visa waiver.

All are presently in detention and have been placed into removal proceedings for violations of the visa waiver program (Section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act). ICE intends to revoke the visa waiver status of each alien and remove them from the country. The respective embassies have been notified.