US Department of Homeland Security

AI Use Case Inventory

2024 Inventory July Revision

Source data: DHS
Glossary
DHS-407

Biometric Check-in for ATD-ISAP (SmartLINK)

ICE
Operation & Maintenance Rights: Yes Safety: No Law & Justice

Summary

The Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP) Monitoring App includes unique facial verification technology that allows participants to capture their photo during ICE Alternatives to Detention (ATD) enrollment for future verification purposes (e.g., during check-in). Unlike facial identification or recognition, the facial verification function uses a one-to-one matching approach of the individual presenting to the Monitoring App during their check-in by comparing it against the ATD participant’s photograph captured upon enrollment to determine whether the person is who they declare themselves to be. The Monitoring App can be launched from either an ICE ATD-issued mobile device or from the participant’s personal mobile device. It takes a series of photos of the participant during enrollment, which are stored in the ISAP ATD case management system. During subsequently checks in, an automatic 1:1 verification image of the individual in front of the phone’s camera is matched against the stored profile images to enable the ICE ATD Case Manager to verify the participant’s identity, using a proprietary algorithm. The technology also recognizes if a “live” person is in front of the camera, as opposed to a representation or image of a person. There is a visual ICE ATD Case Manager review if there is no match or if the matching attempt generates an error alert. The photos are only used for the described verification purpose and are not shared for any other purpose or with any other entity or database. Any pictures taken during the facial template capture are immediately deleted from the device and only the facial measurements are captured. The ISAP Biometric Monitoring App is a technology option that allows participants to report in using a smartphone. This app verifies a participant’s identity, determines their location, and quickly collects status change information. It adds functionality not available with telephonic methods and is less intrusive than a global positioning system unit. The ISAP Monitoring App limits in-person interactions for routine check-ins, allowing more time to be allocated to non-compliant participants, complex removal proceedings cases, and docket management. There are two outputs related to using ISAP Biometric Monitoring App: either a participant passes the biometric match, or the photo is moved to a pending review status.

Intended Purpose & Expected Benefits

ISAP Biometric Monitoring App is a technology option that allows participants to report in using a smartphone. This app verifies a participant’s identity, determine their location, and quickly collect status change information. The app adds functionality not available with telephonic and is less intrusive than a GPS unit. ISAP monitoring app limits in-person interactions of routine check-ins, allowing more time to be allocated to non-compliant participants, complex removal proceedings cases and docket management.

System Outputs

There are two outputs related to using ISAP Biometric Monitoring App. Either a participant “passes” (biometric match) or the photo is moved to a “pending review” status. In either scenario, a human can evaluate the response.

Active Status

Active

CAIO Determination Justification

Not Required

Impact Classification

Rights-Impacting: Yes
Rights Category: Biometric Identification
Safety-Impacting: No

Documentation

Date Initiated: 2/1/18
Development Began: 2/1/18
Date Deployed: 2/1/18
Procurement: Developed with contracting resources
ATO: Yes
System Name: ISAP IV (SmartLink) IATSS
Face Recognition: Yes. All Face Recognition and Face Capture (FR/FC) technology is tested both prior to operational use and at least every three years during operational use. DHS Science and Technology (S&T) oversees testing and evaluation based on International Organization for Standardization/ International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) standards and technical guidance issued by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). DHS S&T applies laboratory, scenario, and operational testing to cost-effectively characterize technology performance and, when feasible, disaggregate performance by user demographics such as gender, age, and skin tone.

Data & Code

Training Data: N/A - The Agency does not own any of the data used to train, fine-tune, and/or evaluate performance of the model(s) used in this use case.
PII Involved: Yes
Demographic Variables: None
Custom Code: No

Risk Management

Impact Assessment
Yes
Operational Testing
Performance evaluation in operational environment
Independent Review
Yes - by the CAIO
Ongoing Monitoring
Automated and Regularly Scheduled Updates
Autonomous Decision
No - Some individual decisions or actions require direct human oversight.
Appeal Process
No - it is not operationally practical to offer this
Affected Group Feedback
None of the above
Opt-out Mechanism
Yes

Key Risks

Environmental variables may negatively impact model performance. At enrollment, participants meet with a Case Manager, who explains the program in the participant’s preferred language. Participants receive guidance on the use of the system and environmental parameters which may affect results (e.g. poor lighting, busy backgrounds). All nonmatches are reviewed by human examiner and considered for a redo before the check in is officially marked as a nonmatch.