DHS/ALL/PIA-095 International Biometric Information Sharing Program (IBIS)

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS or the Department), Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans (PLCY), in coordination with DHS components, created the International Biometric Information Sharing (IBIS) Program to enhance cooperation between DHS components and foreign partners in assessing the eligibility or public security risk of individuals seeking an immigration benefit or encountered in the context of a border encounter or law enforcement investigation related to immigration or border issues. DHS created IBIS to enhance the Department's and its foreign partners' ability to more definitively establish the identity and assess eligibility of an individual presenting for an immigration benefit or when encountered in border screening and immigration-related contexts. This Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) Update considers the privacy risks and applicable mitigation strategies associated with implementing this Departmental program in cases where DHS conducts a search using a national identification number, rather than a biometric identifier, which expands the scope of the IBIS program.