Sec. 1561. Refugee biometric data and reporting
220 words·~1 min read·
/bill/117/s/5353/is/section-1561·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Department of State, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, shall permit United States Government staff already in-country to travel to collect the fingerprints and biometric data of refugees, in absence of circuit rides. The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall develop and implement methods to enhance virtual citizenship and virtual adjudication of citizenship applications, including remote interviews and ceremonies to expedite the process.
The Secretary of Homeland Security shall robustly implement the plan to permit the use of video and audio teleconferencing to conduct refugee interviews and establish the necessary infrastructure to do so. The Department of Homeland Security is directed to issue a report within 90 days of enactment the details of how many interviews were conducted remotely or by video, what infrastructure was created to do so, and what the Department needs to expand the use of remote interviews.
The report shall also include challenges and best practices in conducting remote interviews and factors that informed the Department’s decisions around which applicants were eligible for a remote interview. The report shall further include recommendations for a significant investment in internet infrastructure solutions, such as Wi-Fi and broadband access, in remote processing locations, as failure to do so will disproportionately impact processing and departures from certain parts of the world.