Beck falsely asserted that U.S. does not fingerprint foreign visitors or collect rapists' DNA

Written by Jocelyn Fong

Published

On Fox News, Glenn Beck asserted that "[w]e can't fingerprint anybody who's coming into this country because that would be offensive" and that "[w]e can't take DNA samples from killers or rapists, but you can have your fingerprint taken if you want to sell your house." In fact, the Department of Homeland Security does take fingerprints from “aliens seeking admission to the United States” at U.S. entry points, and according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, “All 50 states require that convicted sex offenders provide a DNA sample.”

While discussing a new Cook County, Illinois, law set to go into effect June 1 that requires anyone selling property in the county to provide a thumbprint, Glenn Beck stated during the March 16 edition of his Fox News program, “Let me see if I have this right. Welcome to America. We can't fingerprint anybody who's coming into this country because that would be offensive. But if you own property in Chicago, and you want to sell it, guess who's going to get fingerprinted?” Beck also said, “We can't take DNA samples from killers or rapists, but you can have your fingerprint taken if you want to sell your house.” In fact, contrary to Beck's assertion, under the US-VISIT (U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology) program, the Department of Homeland Security does take fingerprints from “aliens seeking admission to the United States” at U.S. entry points.

A final rule promulgated by DHS on December 19, 2008, states:

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established the United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Program (US-VISIT) in 2003 to verify the identities and travel documents of aliens. Aliens subject to US-VISIT may be required to provide fingerscans, photographs, or other biometric identifiers upon arrival at the United States. Currently, aliens arriving at a United States port of entry with a nonimmigrant visa, or those traveling without a visa as part of the Visa Waiver Program, are subject to US-VISIT requirements with certain limited exceptions. This final rule expands the population of aliens who will be subject to US-VISIT requirements to nearly all aliens, including lawful permanent residents.

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The US-VISIT program, through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, collects biometrics (digital fingerprints and photographs) from aliens seeking admission to the United States. 73 FR 22066. The US-VISIT program also receives biometric data collected by Department of State (DOS) consular offices in the visa application process. DHS checks biometric data on those applying for admission to the United States against government databases to identify suspected terrorists, known criminals, or individuals who have previously violated U.S. immigration laws.

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From its inception on January 5, 2004 to the present, US-VISIT has biometrically screened more than 130 million aliens at the time they applied for admission to the United States.

In addition, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, “All 50 states require that convicted sex offenders provide a DNA sample” and “46 states require that all convicted felons provide a DNA sample to the state's database.”

From the March 16 edition of Fox News' Glenn Beck:

BECK: OK. Let me see if I have this right. Welcome to America. We can't fingerprint anybody who's coming into this country because that would be offensive. But if you own property in Chicago, and you want to sell it, guess who's going to get fingerprinted? Who has to get fingerprinted? You do.

We can't take DNA samples from killers or rapists, but you can have your fingerprint taken if you want to sell your house. What is happening to this country?

It's happening in Chicago. Who's from Chicago? Oh, I [unintelligible] the president's from. Anyway, Gerald Cain is a homeowner who is just as outraged as I am. He lives in Cook County, Illinois, where this law is about to go into effect.