Posted originally on CTH on April 24, 2025 | Sundance

As most of you know I have been traveling extensively. However, a strange thing happened today upon return through the airport.

Apparently, all of the test pilots for biometrics, real ID etc. are now linked and active.  As I approached the passport control kiosk with my passport in hand, the gentleman said “welcome back, enjoy the rest of your day,” and that was it.

I stood there for a second, asked if he needed my passport and he said, “no, you’re good. Go on through.”  It seems the facial recognition software is live.  You no longer need to show your U.S. passport or any ID when arriving through U.S. international passport control.

Now, I should say I have never signed up for TSA pre-check, Fast Track, or any other kind of Global Travel authentication.  I have always opted to just be a grey traveler with as little a footprint as possible.  I reentered the U.S. the same way in February and needed to show the traditional passport, etc. However, this time in April it was totally different. There is no longer any paperwork or documentation needed.  It actually, seemed a little weird.

I should also note the U.S. “opt-out” for facial scans is a little bit of a ruse; the reason is when you depart from a foreign country, destined to the USA, the facial recognition is mandatory.  The U.S. Dept of Homeland Security, TSA and Border Control, require all countries to authenticate the U.S. destined traveler at the point of exit.  It’s not optional in other countries, you either comply or you don’t get to come home to the USA.

Because it’s not optional in other countries, and because the database is connected to the U.S. border entry system, the fact you can opt-out of having your picture taken inside the USA is moot; your facial impression is already captured at your point of departure from the foreign country and shared with U.S. homeland security.

This appears to be how the interconnected systems are now recording travel.  By the time you reach the U.S. entry point, they already have a database of your biometrics to match your entry.  Cameras located facing toward the traveler as they approach the kiosk, cross reference the data and the passport control officer knows exactly what authorities for entry you carry as you approach.  Showing documentation such as your passport is no longer needed.

As I mentioned this on my X-account, several people affirmed to have recently experienced the same entry process.  Physical passports are no longer required regardless of whether you have opted-in to some pre-registration fast track travel system.  You simply walk through the passport checkpoints now and collect your luggage.

I have seen this in several countries with varying degrees of technological advancement.  However, it was usually when you are connecting from one flight to another within a singular international airport.  This is different.  This is the TSA/DHS database fully active with biometric, facial recognition scanning that you cannot avoid.

This process is obviously unavoidable now and given how much research CTH has done on the AI aspect to facial recognition (Palantir software), real id and enhanced biometrics that were being tested in various transportation hubs, it looks like the system is now fully active.  April 5th was the universal deadline for “Real ID” rollout, and I’m guessing sometime around then was the trigger date for the live activation of the system I just experienced.

All of that said, this notification by me is not to raise any alarms, it is simply to raise awareness.  The system is active, and you will likely experience it if you travel outside the USA and then reenter.

Everything seems cool, until you start to think about your biometric identity being attached to some form of travel approval.  Owe the govt money, you don’t get to travel until the issue is resolved etc.  You can see how this ‘slippery slope’ will likely play out.  Additionally, it does not take a deep weeds thinker to expand the consideration when this DHS/TSA system is in the hands of a certain type of political ideology in charge of it (weaponizing it).