CONGRESS HALTS FUNDING OF INS FINGERPRINT SYSTEM

Every fall Congress passes appropriations bills that provide funding of government agencies.  Recently Congress provided $85 million to the INS for the development of a fingerprinting and identification system known as IDENT.  The system has not operated as desired, and the Congress has now declined to authorize another $20 million for its further development until the INS presents a through report on how to correct the problems currently existing in the system.

The IDENT system became the focus of national attention last summer when it failed to identify a suspected serial killer, most commonly known by the alias Rafael Resindez-Ramierez.  At the time his fingerprints were in the IDENT system and he was also on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list.  One of the things Congress wants to see change in the system is increased cooperation between the INS and the FBI.

The IDENT system takes fingerprints and photographs of people caught attempting to enter the US illegally so they can be identified if they attempt to re-enter. 

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