DHS:Privacy Impact Assessment for the
Biometric Storage System (BSS)
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is developing the Biometric Storage System (BSS) to help streamline the established USCIS biometric and card production processes and become the centralized repository for all USCIS customer biometrics. BSS will route, store, and process 10-print1 fingerprint biometrics and associated biographic information for biometric-based background checks on those individuals applying/petitioning for immigration benefits. BSS is a new system being developed incrementally and will replace the Image Storage and Retrieval System (ISRS). BSS will also replace aspects of the Benefit Biometric Support System (BBSS), while adding new functionalities that did not previously exist in either ISRS or BBSS.
BSS is being developed and deployed to perform the following four roles: (1) to replace the ISRS and aspects of the BBSS; (2) to serve as the centralized repository of biometrics captured by USCIS used for biometric based background checks; (3) to serve as the centralized source of image sets for benefit card and document production; and (4) to facilitate biometric-based identity verification.
BSS will help transition the agency・s data management practices to a paperless, more centralized, and person-centric approach as part of a USCIS enterprise-wide ：Transformation Program.； The Transformation Program will be utilizing the Unique Enumeration program as a keystone for all future Transformation Program systems. The Unique Enumeration program assigns a unique enumerator to an individual・s biometric and related biographic data. The unique enumerator will facilitate interaction between the individual and USCIS, simplify the processing of updating an individual・s file, and improve data quality. This will also eliminate the possibility of identity theft and significantly reduce the risk of identity fraud. BSS is a key building block of the USCIS Transformation Program. The US-VISIT/IDENT Unique Enumeration program is a new program currently under development; however, BSS will utilize the unique enumerator once the program becomes operational. US-Visit will publish a separate Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) for the US-VISIT/IDENT Unique Enumeration Program.
In addition to storing the biometric data of applicants, BSS will store all related activity including:
-The date fingerprint checks were conducted
-The classification 2of the fingerprint
-The date the image set was sent to card production (NPS II/ICPS)
-The date a benefit was denied
-The date the card was produced
BSS will support the modification of established USCIS processes and allow for marked improvement in those processes by creating a single repository for all USCIS biometric and card production information. In addition, BSS・ incorporation into USCIS・ Transformation Program initiative will help transition the agency・s data management practices to a paperless, more centralized, and person-centric approach
Click here to read the report
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/privacy/privacy_pia_cis_bss.pdf
July 02, 2007
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