- By Supratik Das
- Sat, 25 Oct 2025 05:28 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
US immigration rules 2025: In a significant policy move, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced new rules mandating all non-citizens, including green card holders and visa holders, to be photographed when entering and exiting the country. The regulation, issued by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Friday, marks a major expansion of the nation’s biometric surveillance network amid the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration crackdown.
US Expands Biometric Checks Nationwide
According to a report by the Federal Register, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the new regulation will extend biometric screening, including facial recognition, to every airport, land border, and seaport across the United States. Previously, these checks were limited to selected ports and specific categories of travellers.
The DHS said the system will collect biometric data from all foreign nationals to enhance border security, prevent document fraud, and monitor visa overstays. Officials say the move aims to close longstanding loopholes in America’s entry-exit tracking system.“Implementing an integrated biometric entry-exit system that compares biometric data of aliens collected upon arrival with data collected upon departure helps address national security concerns,” the CBP stated in its filing with the Federal Register.
Who Will Be Affected?
The new rule applies to all non-US citizens, including lawful permanent residents (green card holders), temporary visa holders, and undocumented immigrants. For the first time, children under 14 and adults over 79, previously exempted from biometric screening, will also be included.
CBP officers will use advanced facial recognition cameras to photograph travellers, which will then be cross-checked with existing passport and visa records in real time.
The updated regulation will come into effect on December 26, 2025, after a 30-day public comment period beginning October 27. DHS officials estimate that a complete nationwide rollout could take between three to five years.
The program, known as Simplified Arrival, is already in use at several major US airports. The expansion will now ensure photographs and biometric data are captured at all points of entry and exit, including departures, a step not previously required.
Part of Trump Administration’s Immigration Crackdown
The move comes as part of former President Donald Trump’s broader effort to tighten immigration enforcement through advanced technology and data integration. The administration has already approved the use of IRS and Social Security data for immigration-related investigations.
A 2023 Congressional Research Service report found that about 42 per cent of the 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the US had entered legally but overstayed their visas. Officials argue the new rule will help track such cases more effectively, reinforcing both immigration control and national security.
The CBP said it plans to develop secure “exit lanes” at ports to facilitate smooth processing for outbound travellers. The agency emphasised that no additional travel requirements will be placed on US citizens at this time.
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With the new rule, the United States aims to create a fully integrated biometric entry-exit tracking system, a goal Congress first mandated nearly three decades ago in 1996 but has struggled to achieve due to technical and logistical challenges.