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119-hr-8253119th Congress

BITMAP Authorization Act

Sponsored By: Representative McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10]

In Committee

Summary

Establishes a biometric data-sharing program to identify and deter transnational security and terrorism threats before they reach U.S. borders. The Biometric Identification Transnational Migration Alert Program (BITMAP) sets up multinational biometric enrollment, data matching, and capacity-building to spot high-risk individuals abroad.

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  • Partner countries get training, equipment, and support to voluntarily collect and compare biometric and biographic data and to enroll individuals. New partner agreements set program goals and require DHS to notify Congress within 60 days after an agreement enters into force.
  • The program is run through the Department of Homeland Security, acting through the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and coordinates with the State Department and intelligence community to compare foreign-collected data against U.S. security databases such as IDENT, NGI, and the Terrorist Screening Database.
  • BITMAP includes built-in oversight and limits: it must expunge U.S. citizens' biometric or biographic data from uploaded databases unless retained for specific law enforcement or intelligence purposes, submit a comprehensive report 180 days after establishment and annually for five years, undergo a Government Accountability Office audit within six months and every three years, and sunsets after six years.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

New biometric border screening program

If enacted, the bill would create the Biometric Identification Transnational Migration Alert Program (BITMAP) inside the Department of Homeland Security. The Secretary, acting through the Director of ICE, would run BITMAP to spot national security, border, and terrorism risks before people reach U.S. borders. The program would start on enactment and would end six years after enactment. BITMAP would supplement the Secretary's existing information‑sharing authorities.

Data sharing and privacy rules

If enacted, the bill would require DHS to help partner countries collect biometric and biographic data and let them compare it to U.S. security databases, including IDENT, the FBI Terrorist Screening Database, NGI, and ABIS. The Secretary would coordinate with the State Department and the Director of National Intelligence and would ensure data are added to U.S. databases consistent with the Privacy Act. The bill would require expunging U.S. citizens' biometric or biographic data from databases where uploaded, unless retained for specific law enforcement or intelligence purposes. DHS could use reimbursable or non‑reimbursable interagency agreements to support these actions.

Reports, audits, and briefings

If enacted, the bill would require a detailed DHS report 180 days after BITMAP starts and then yearly for five years. Reports would cover goals, partner progress, partner agreements where practicable, budgets and funding sources, DHS personnel and equipment by country, numbers of people enrolled by category, training provided, redress reviews, and effectiveness assessments. The Comptroller General would audit BITMAP within six months of enactment and every three years after. DHS would brief the Homeland Security Committees within 30 days after each report about enrolled people who were later apprehended and any asylum claims they filed.

Rules for foreign partner agreements

If enacted, the bill would require DHS to sign an agreement with a foreign government before doing BITMAP work there. The agreement, made in consultation with the Secretary of State, would set program goals and include training, guidance, and enrollment best practices. A country would become a partner only once an agreement is in force. The Secretary would give the House and Senate Homeland Security Committees a copy and list of goals within 60 days after the agreement starts.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10]

TX • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Cuellar, Henry [D-TX-28]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 4/13/2026

  • Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 4/15/2026

  • Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2]

    SC • R

    Sponsored 4/15/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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