By Zoila Palma: The Ministry of Immigration, Governance and Labour (MIGL) has officially launched the Biometric Data Sharing Partnership (BDSP), a joint initiative with the United States Embassy designed to enhance border security and migration management through advanced identity verification.
The partnership introduces fingerprint-based biometric technology to strengthen how Immigration Officers verify the identities of travelers entering Belize at all major legal ports of entry.
At the launch, Minister of Immigration, Governance and Labour Kareem Musa underscored the importance of the system amid growing travel volumes. “We are facing an influx of visitors to Belize and with that, a greater responsibility to ensure safety and accountability at our borders. This system gives our Immigration Officers real-time access to crucial data, allowing for faster decisions and more accurate verification. It supports national security and strengthens our ability to detect suspicious travel activity,” Musa said.
The BDSP complements Belize’s existing Migration Information Data System (MIDAS), which conducts primary verification using scanned travel documents.
When additional checks are required, BDSP enables officers to conduct fingerprint scans that are cross-checked against international databases. “This is a timely intervention that gives us an added layer of protection. It helps prevent individuals with criminal records or links to illicit activities from gaining access to our country,” Musa added.
U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Katharine Beamer highlighted the bilateral nature of the initiative and the support provided by Washington.
“This joint initiative between the Governments of the United States and Belize reflects our shared commitment to strengthening border security, improving migration management, and safeguarding our citizens. Today’s event marks the handing over of approximately $250,000 US dollars in biometric data security partnership funded by the US State Department,” Beamer said.
Chief Executive Officer Tanya Santos said the handover represents a broader shift toward intelligence-driven border management. “In an increasingly interconnected world, security challenges do not respect borders, and neither can our solutions,” Santos stated, adding that the initiative strengthens institutional capacity and reinforces Belize’s commitment to “effective, secure, and accountable border management.”
The BDSP is now being rolled out across major ports of entry and is expected to be fully implemented in the coming months.
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By Zoila Palma: The Ministry of Immigration, Governance and Labour (MIGL) has officially launched the Biometric Data Sharing Partnership (BDSP), a joint initiative with the United States Embassy designed to enhance border security and migration management through advanced identity verification. The partnership introduces fingerprint-based biometric technology to strengthen how Immigration Officers verify the identities of
The post Belize and USA Biometric data sharing partnership strengthens National Security appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.