DHS Intergrating APIS with Secure Flight

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to strengthen aviation security

August 12, 2007

WASHINGTON DC NEWS -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to take significant steps to strengthen aviation security through uniform and consistent passenger prescreening against government watch lists. DHS is publishing two regulations which will initiate these changes:

• The Secure Flight Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM), which lays out DHS plans to assume watch list matching responsibilities from air carriers for domestic flights and align domestic and international passenger prescreening.
  
  
• The Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) Predeparture Final Rule, which enables DHS to collect manifest information for international flights departing from or arriving in the United States prior to boarding.

Both of these programs carry out the 9/11 Commission's recommendations.

Since the publication of the NPRM in the Federal Register on July 14, 2006, the DHS has been developing the "Secure Flight" program, and is now ready to begin testing of that program. The program will conduct uniform prescreening of passenger information against federal government watch lists for domestic and international flights. Currently, the air carriers are responsible for checking passengers against government watch lists.

Under Secure Flight, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will receive information on each passenger, as well as certain non-traveling members of the public requesting access to areas beyond the screening checkpoint. TSA will determine if passenger data matches the information on government watch lists, and transmit matching results to aircraft operators. TSA will begin operational testing this fall using data from air carriers who volunteer to participate in the program. Air carriers will continue conducting watch list checks during testing for domestic flights, and TSA will compare the results of its watch list matching with air carrier results to ensure the validity of the Secure Flight system. Furthermore, the DHS encourages the public to submit comments on the Secure Flight NPRM, and will publish a final rule and other notices in the Federal Register prior to implementation of the Secure Flight program.

Currently, the DHS' Customs and Border Protection collects advance information on international passengers traveling by air prior to their departure through the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), as part of the 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA). CBP requires commercial carriers to provide APIS and certain Passenger Name Record (PNR) data arriving in or departing from the United States. This information is provided after the flight has already left the ground. With implementation of the new final APIS predeparture regulation, air carriers will be required to transmit manifests 30 minutes prior to departure of the aircraft or provide manifest information on passengers as each passenger checks in for the flight, up to the time when aircraft doors are secured for takeoff.

DHS also plans to integrate the watch list matching function for international flights into Secure Flight, resulting in one DHS system responsible for prescreening all aviation passengers. This system would provide air carriers with consolidated data submission requirements. This effort has been overseen by the Screening Coordination Office, created by Secretary Chertoff last year, to coordinate and integrate various screening efforts overseen by DHS.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said, "Stopping known threats before they board an aircraft, whether domestically or internationally, is a critical security measure. This enables our frontline personnel to get key passenger information prior to boarding. This information will better identify individuals who may pose a known or suspected threat to aviation or national security. These programs will improve the passenger experience by establishing a more consistent vetting process and better resolution for misidentified passengers."

By establishing a more consistent and uniform prescreening process, DHS will strengthen a key layer of security, enhance its ability to stop terrorists before they get to the passenger screening checkpoint, and reduce potential misidentification issues.

Once the Secure Flight NPRM and APIS Predeparture Final Rule are published in the Federal Register, the public may access the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for submitting comments. Submissions must include the agency name and docket number "TSA-2007-28572."