Customs and Border Protection’s Use of Technology Results in
Hebron, Ky. - Customs and Border Protection’s use of advanced technology, US‑VISIT (United
States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indication Technology) recently resulted in the detection,
apprehension and incarceration of an arriving international passenger at the Cincinnati/ Northern
Kentucky International Airport.
US‑VISIT records biographic and biometric information to conduct security checks and verify the
identities of international travelers applying for admission into the United States. By linking a
person’s biometric information to his or her travel documents reduces the risk that a traveler’s
identity or documents could be intentionally misused by someone attempting to gain entry into
the United States.
A case in point occurred on March 6, when Mr. Moussa Doucoure, age 29 and a citizen of the
country of Mali, arrived via an international flight from Paris, France at the Cincinnati/ N. Ky.
International Airport. He presented himself for admission to CBP as a returning Asylee using a
U.S. Department of Homeland Security travel document.
Upon his primary inspection by a CBP officer and enrollment into US-VISIT, his fingerprints
came up as a mismatch which resulted in a secondary inspection. It was during this secondary
inspection that Mr. Doucoure was found to be an imposter to the travel document he presented.
His fingerprint and photograph did not match the fingerprint and photograph that was on file for
the genuine recipient of the travel document.
“CBP screens all international travelers entering the U.S. and US-VISIT has proved to be an
invaluable tool in helping to strengthen border security and enforce the laws of this country,”
said David J. Murphy, CBP director of Field Operations in Chicago. “US‑VISIT biometric
screening continues to prevent fraudulent document use and has enabled DHS to stop wanted
criminals and immigration violators from entering this country. It is because of this state of the
art technology and the fine work of our CBP officers and the U.S. Attorney’s Office that this
person was brought to justice.”
On September 4, Mr. Doucoure, plead guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison by U.S.
District Court Judge David L. Bunning, for Aggravated Identity Theft.
Mr. Doucoure is currently being held at Boone County Jail, Burlington, Ky., awaiting transport to
a Federal Bureau of Prisons Facility in New York State. Parole was not authorized for early
release and he will be deported from the United States upon release from prison.
Through the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act, Congress established an
expectation that DHS would use biometrics as part of the entry process to biometrically
compare and authenticate visa or other travel or entry document issued by DHS or the
Department of State. The equipment and software that will enable DHS to biometrically
compare and authenticate these documents has been deployed to the ports of entry since
October 2005.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of
Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and
terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.