How U.S. Facial Recognition Now Tracks Private Jets, Cruises, and Trains

As Facial Recognition Expands to Private Jets, Cruise Terminals, and Train Stations, Amicus Warns Travellers of Rising Detention Risks and Offers New Legal Response Services

headlines May 15, 2025

How U.S. Facial Recognition Now Tracks Private Jets, Cruises, and Trains

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the widespread adoption of facial recognition technology at major U.S. airports, the U.S. Biometric Exit Program has officially entered its next phase: deployment across private aviation facilities, cruise ports, and international train stations.

According to federal officials and legal experts, this expansion marks a turning point in border enforcement. Leaving the country is now as closely monitored as arriving.

While initially framed as a tool to stop visa overstays and fraud, the system is now quietly flagging a growing number of individuals for reasons including:

Outdated legal records
Foreign warrants
Name change mismatches
Travel pattern anomalies
Politically motivated alerts

The System Is No Longer Limited to Airports

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirms that biometric exit has now been implemented at:

Private jet terminals in 22 U.S. cities
Cruise ship ports in Miami, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Galveston
Amtrak international train platforms at Buffalo, Detroit, and Seattle
Preclearance biometric facilities in Abu Dhabi, Toronto, and Dublin

With more locations slated to launch in the second half of 2025, including Puerto Rico and Guam, the program will scan 98% of all outbound non-citizen travellers by mid-2026.

New Cases Illustrate Expanding Reach

1. Cruise Passenger Flagged in Galveston

A South American entrepreneur boarding a cruise to Jamaica was flagged when biometric screening matched him to an Interpol Red Notice—one filed during a civil dispute over commercial licensing abroad. Though no U.S. charges existed, he was denied departure and detained for 48 hours before being cleared.

2. Private Jet Traveller Detained in Teterboro

A hedge fund manager using a secondary citizenship to depart on a Gulfstream G650 was flagged as a potential match to a suspended warrant from 2009. CBP officers boarded the jet and removed him in front of staff and guests. He was later released, but the damage to his reputation and schedule was done.

3. Train Traveller Stopped in Detroit

A Canadian journalist travelling to Toronto by rail was stopped at the biometric checkpoint. An outdated border flag related to political reporting in North Africa triggered the alert. Despite no active warrant, she was held for questioning, missed her train, and was forced to rebook the following day.

Legal Pushback Builds Against Biometric Overreach

Civil rights attorneys in New York, California, and Washington, D.C. have now filed three class-action lawsuits challenging the scope of biometric exit systems. Key issues cited include:

Lack of meaningful opt-out procedures for U.S. citizens
Inconsistent application of the technology across modes of transportation
Violation of privacy rights under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments
International data-sharing with little transparency or recourse

Despite this, CBP continues to expand the program, calling it “a necessary evolution in border security.”

Amicus Data Shows Spike in Flagged Travellers

Amicus International Consulting advises clients on secure identity and international mobility and has reported a 41% increase in inquiries from travellers flagged during attempted departures since January 2025.

The majority involve:

Dual nationals are unaware of historic immigration infractions
Individuals with previously sealed or expunged records
Travellers flagged due to watchlists shared with foreign governments
Professionals with second passports facing name or biometrics mismatches
Clients who changed gender markers or legal identities without updating biometric records

“This is no longer a system for criminals—it’s a system catching ordinary people unaware of how they exist in multiple databases,” said an Amicus representative.

The Psychological Toll of Getting Flagged

Amicus staff noted that beyond legal consequences, there’s an emotional and psychological impact for clients who are detained or stopped at borders:

Fear of public embarrassment during arrest or detainment
Panic over unjust denial of travel or loss of business deals
Long-term mistrust in international mobility systems
Repeated alerts causing delays on subsequent travel legs

For families with children or elderly parents, such disruptions are not only stressful but often traumatizing.

New Global Training for Amicus Legal Teams

To stay ahead of biometric trends, Amicus has launched the Global Biometric Compliance Initiative (GBCI)—an internal program to train attorneys and consultants in:

Real-time biometric alert response
International extradition law and Interpol dispute resolution
Identity record harmonization across citizenships
Legal advocacy with CBP and foreign border agencies
Strategic pre-clearance travel planning for high-risk profiles

GBCI-trained staff now operate in London, Dubai, Panama City, Hong Kong, and Toronto, ensuring 24/7 client support across key international hubs.

Client Success Story: Executive Cleared from Biometric Ban List

A dual U.K.–UAE national with a sealed 2013 misdemeanour was stopped from boarding a flight from Fort Lauderdale to São Paulo. Biometric exit scanners matched him to a DHS record, flagging an ICE administrative hold, long resolved.

Amicus deployed a legal response team that contacted the DHS Traveller Redress Inquiry Program (TRIP), secured same-day verification, and facilitated his rebooking within 36 hours.

“Without legal backing and biometric awareness, I would’ve been stranded,” the client said. “Amicus didn’t just get me out—they restored my dignity.”

Final Word: Don’t Let the Gate Decide Your Future

In today’s biometric surveillance environment, any mismatch, mistake, or legacy record can stop you cold at departure. With no notification before travel, individuals are often blindsided at the most inconvenient—and publicly visible—moment.

Amicus urges travellers with: