Homeland Security Panel Demands Plan For Visitor Tracking Project

In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, the lawmakers said they want a strategic plan by next Monday for the US-VISIT foreigner tracking system, including cost estimates and timelines for an exit component. The lawmakers said Congress has been waiting on the plan for almost two years, even though more than $1.3 billion has been spent on VISIT to date. By law, the department is required to use biometric identifiers, such as digital fingerprints, to verify that foreigners leave the country.