Costa Rica and the United States signed a memorandum on Monday within the framework of the Biometric Information Sharing Alliance (BDSP).This is a security scheme that seeks to work with data to verify the real identity of people in immigration contexts.
“It allows the automated exchange of biometric information in real time, it will improve the collection and comparison of biometric data from Costa Rica and strengthen management and security in the region,” explained the US ambassador in San José, Cynthia Telles.
Truly identify a person
As described by the United States Department of Homeland Security, biometric information systems allow a person to be truly identified, beyond what a document says.
It details that the alliance arises “to support the department’s agencies and foreign partners in the evaluation of the eligibility or public safety risk of people seeking an immigration benefit in the context of a border encounter or a police investigation related to immigration or border security issues.”
“The ability to share biometric information to support police investigations and immigration benefit decisions has been validated (…) They have helped foreign partners detect identity fraud, foreign criminals who have not disclosed their previous criminal activity; and they are known or suspected terrorists,” they added.
High-level regional meeting from the US
The new approach with the United States was signed by Kristie Canegallo, US Undersecretary of Security.The official is visiting Guatemala, where a ministerial meeting of the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection is being held.
An appointment with Foreign Minister Arnoldo André was confirmed from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There, the issue of migration was one of the key axes.“During the dialogue, Foreign Minister André explained the country’s challenges derived from migratory movements, both in relation to flows in transit and those in which Costa Rica is the final destination, as well as the challenges related to the processing of refugee applications” , said the institution.
“The memoranda represent a significant step towards the implementation of the Automated Biometric Identification System and cooperation in the comprehensive fight against trafficking, and reflect the joint commitment of both countries to address migration challenges in a comprehensive manner and promote the protection of human rights. human rights of all migrants,” explained the official.
Combating human trafficking
Ambassador Telles confirmed for her part that an agreement was also reached between the countries to combat human trafficking.“Excellent news for Costa Rica!We signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Costa Rica to improve public security in the region. The Biometric Information Sharing Partnership (BDSP) enables the automated exchange of biometric information in real time”, she stated.
