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From Border Crisis to Digital Control

| Josh Davis
Border Control Crisis

Nine million six hundred thirty-three thousand and nineteen. That is the number of people the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency have encountered at the U.S. borders from January 2021, when President Biden took office, through April 2024. The numbers have skyrocketed under this administration and are on pace to exceed 11 million encounters before November. 

A few months ago, the Biden administration issued an executive order on developing trustworthy and safe uses of AI to help agents respond to the border crisis. In response, the Department of Homeland Security released a 24-page document referred to as the Artificial Intelligence Roadmap 2024. 

The DHS has been a leader in pushing for the usage of surveillance and biometric recognition software since it was created after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. A U.S. law was proposed in April to require DHS to develop and present a plan to Congress outlining how it could integrate technologies like AI and biometrics to enhance border control. Part of their proposals seek to use AI and facial recognition software to stop smugglers and cartels before they cross the border.  

This administration created the border crisis. They have allowed fear and guilt to fester long enough to propel the American public into action. Now they are presenting their solution to the problem they created so that they can seize more control. The technological solutions they offer threaten to limit or eliminate citizen’s freedoms. Like draining a swimming pool one cup at a time, liberties are removed little by little without much notice by the American public. 

While facial recognition and AI software has its advantages in catching smugglers and cartels, there are a number of serious questions to answer before these ideas are implemented and legislation is passed.

How will AI and facial recognition software help identify people unless there is some database of people’s face scans to verify it with?

Will the next step in this progression be to mandate a digital ID for U.S. citizens so DHS can differentiate between citizens and non-citizens?

Will the next step after that be to have a global database of all people in the name of safety and security?

What similar measures are other nations taking?

Consider the answers to these questions in greater detail:

Question 1

This common-sense question must be asked. How can the DHS turn away or capture cartels or smugglers with facial recognition and AI software if there is no database of their facial scans to verify it against? This software would be useless unless it knew who to look for. 

Question 2

The border crisis and technological advancements are driving the U.S. toward a national digital ID. One of the digital systems the federal government is developing is called Login.gov. It seems poised to become the hub for all U.S. government agencies. A pilot program began in May to allow users to upload their selfies as a facial recognition option to increase identity verification and safety.  

There is another interesting detail to this plan. Not only can people upload a selfie from their smartphone, but over 18,000 locations operated by the U.S. Postal Service will be equipped to help people verify their ID in person. Right now, America has the network and plans in place for a national digital ID.

Last year over 49 million people used Login.gov. America’s move to a digital ID is being accomplished through backchannels and bureaucracies. The federal government is spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to develop technologies that will verify citizens’ identity. 

Question 3

A national digital ID is not the ultimate goal. Global citizenship is. It’s one thing for the DHS to be able have a database of U.S. citizens to differentiate between citizens and non-citizens but it’s another for them to have a database of known terrorists, smugglers or cartel members. A national digital ID would do little to help them at the borders. Thus, it seems the solution the world is rapidly moving toward is a digital database of all people which will eventually become a global citizenship. 

Question 4

What similar measures are other nations taking? Have you heard of EES? This stands for Entry/Exit System scheduled to be launched by the European Union on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024 (which just happens to be one day after the U.S. presidential election). To be fair, they did plan to launch it in May 2024, but France requested they postpone the launch since the Summer Olympics will be in Paris this July and August. Still, it is curious why the EU decided to postpone the launch until this specific day.

The EES will act as an electronic gatekeeper for entry to an EU country at any external border. According to the European Commission website, “The system will register the person’s name, type of the travel document, biometric data (fingerprints and captured facial images) and the date and place of entry and exit, in full respect of fundamental rights and data protection.” 

This new system is marketed with all the standard, expected promises: increased security for EU residents, come and go much quicker without having to stand in long passport lines, and making it easier to catch people who are breaking the law through identity theft, fraud, or illegal immigration. 

Interestingly, the U.K. is concerned there will be long wait times as its citizens hop across the English Channel to France for the first time after this is implemented. As a response, a mobile app is being launched to allow people to register before they travel to an EU nation.  

Consequences Around the World

There are a lot of ramifications – consequences that people might not have considered in a rush for peace and safety. For example, police in Lakeland, Fla., had issues with three recurrent trespassers who threatened retail staff in numerous businesses. It got to be such a nuisance that the police installed real-time facial recognition cameras around the city. These three trespassers are now on a biometric watchlist, so every time they come into the range of one of these cameras, local police and certain city officials receive an instant notification on their whereabouts. 

When asked about privacy concerns, a Lakeland spokesperson said, “If you’re behaving well, you should have no problems.” She further suggested that if people are in public, they should not expect privacy.

This is happening around the world, too. Dubai is located on the Persian Gulf in the United Arab Emirates. One of their popular beaches uses a police robot equipped with AI and facial recognition software to catch people behaving badly, like people who park their bicycles in the wrong place or people who stand on the bike path too long. This police robot will scan their faces and issue a ticket to the lawbreakers by comparing the facial scan with the person’s national biometric ID.

Now, just imagine if everyone’s money was in a central bank digital currency and they got scanned by a police robot or biometric camera system, the fine would automatically come out of their account or could be locked down altogether. 

Make no mistake, this is evidence of an invisible spiritual battle. The enemy’s ultimate goal is to silence the spread of the Gospel, but we know God cannot be stopped! The Apostle Paul asked the Thessalonians to pray, “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you” (2 Thess. 3:1).

Download June 2024 Prophetic Observer