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International Falls border agents begin fingerprinting some foreign visitors
by Tom Robertson, Minnesota Public Radio
December 29, 2004

Federal agents at the U.S.-Canadian border crossing in International Falls have a new tool to enhance homeland security. This week, customs officials began using digital fingerprint technology to verify the identity of some foreign visitors. (MPR Photo/Tom Robertson)

Federal agents at the U.S.-Canadian border crossing in International Falls have a new tool to enhance homeland security. This week, customs officials began using digital fingerprint technology to verify the identity of some foreign visitors.

International Falls, Minn. — Foreign visitors, except for Canadian citizens, are now being fingerprinted when they enter the United States. The fingerprint technology is being unveiled this week at the 50 busiest Canadian border land crossings, including the one in International Falls.

	Border crossing at International Falls

Digitized fingerprint images are compared with fingerprints taken from foreign visitors when they apply for visas. Canadian citizens aren't subject to the scans because they don't require a visa to get into the U.S. The information is cross checked on several other security data bases to make sure visitors aren't criminals or known terrorists.

The whole thing takes just a few minutes to process from start to finish. Under the old system, people would show up with their passport and visa. They'd have to fill out an arrival/departure document. Inspectors would have to determine if that individual was who they said they were. The process took about 15 minutes. Ken Henrickson is the chief inspector for the Customs and Border Protection agency.

"It's going to cut down the traveler's time that they're in the building getting processed," said Henrickson. "It's going to help us, and I think the traveling public will be pleased."

	Ken Hendrickson

About two million people come into the United States at International Falls each year. But most of those are Canadian citizens. Henrickson estimates only a few thousand foreign visitors will be fingerprinted annually in International Falls.

The new system is part of a broad effort to beef up security on the 5,500-mile Canadian border. Right now, there's just one U.S. border guard for every 10 watching the Mexican border. Federal officials plan to boost personnel on the northern border. They'll also add motion detecting sensors and more land-and-air-based surveillance.

Technology upgrades at the International Falls crossing have been underway for about three years. Inspectors now have gamma ray devices that create x-ray images of incoming cargo on trucks and trains. The technology allows for more thorough searches. And it can be done in about half the time.

Dave Hurley is the acting port director in International Falls. He says the role of border agents has changed.

"I think prior to 9/11, we searched a lot of vehicles, we collected duty, we searched a lot of vehicles for narcotics," Hurley said. "We still do. That is still a priority. But since 9/11, our major emphasis is on anti-terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, illicit currency, narcotics and the like. And the inspectors have really picked up on that."

	Paul Nevanen

The new technology means new jobs. That's good news for the International Falls economy, especially since the town's largest employer, the Boise paper mill, just cut 64 jobs from its payroll. The International Falls border crossing now employs about 50 people. That's more than double what it was just a few years ago. Paul Nevanen is director of the Koochiching County Economic Development Authority. He's hoping for more jobs at the border.

"That has been the one thing that has created some benefit here in jobs, and good paying jobs, are those federal jobs at the border," said Nevanen. "And it has allowed some people, local people, to move back. So those are the kinds of jobs that people can raise a family on."

Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security distributed $243 million to eight states on the Canadian border, from Michigan westward to Washington and Alaska. The agency aims to expand the fingerprint technology to all land border crossings by the end of next year.

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