What does Preamble of BITMAP Authorization Act do?

This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002. It establishes the Biometric Identification Transnational Migration Alert Program within the Department of Homeland Security. The bill's stated purpose is to establish this program and for other purposes.

What does SHORT TITLE. of BITMAP Authorization Act do?

This bill is formally titled the Biometric Identification Transnational Migration Alert Program Authorization Act, also known as the BITMAP Authorization Act.

What does BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION TRANSNATIONAL MIGRATION ALERT PROGRAM. of BITMAP Authorization Act do?

This section amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Biometric Identification Transnational Migration Alert Program (BITMAP). BITMAP aims to address and reduce national security, border security, and terrorist threats before they reach the U.S. border. The Secretary of Homeland Security, through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, will coordinate with foreign governments and other agencies to share biometric and biographic information. BITMAP will provide training and equipment to partner countries to collect biometric data and compare it against U.S. databases, including IDENT, the Terrorist Screening Database, and ABIS. The Secretary must enter into agreements with foreign countries before conducting BITMAP operations in those countries, outlining program goals and providing training. The Secretary is required to notify Congress within 60 days of entering into an agreement with a foreign country. Biometric data of U.S. citizens captured through BITMAP operations must be expunged from databases unless retained for law enforcement or intelligence purposes. The program will terminate six years after enactment. The Secretary of Homeland Security must submit annual reports to Congress outlining BITMAP's strategic goals, operational plans, progress with partner countries, and budget information. The Comptroller General of the United States will conduct audits of BITMAP's effectiveness every three years.

Back to bills

BITMAP Authorization Act

Last updated: 4/13/2026 · Introduced: 4/13/2026

Author: Michael McCaul (R-TX)

TL;DR (AI)

This bill establishes the Biometric Identification Transnational Migration Alert Program (BITMAP) within the Department of Homeland Security to proactively address national security and border threats.
BITMAP will enable the sharing of biometric and biographic information with foreign governments and provide them with training and equipment to collect data and compare it against U.S. databases.
The program requires Congressional notification before operations in foreign countries and mandates periodic audits and reports to assess its effectiveness.

119th Congressin committeeOfficial page

Verified Votes

No verified votes yet.

Community Votes

No community votes yet. Be the first!

Voting as guest · Sign in for verified votes

Other Sections

Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 1 more.

3 sections

Click "Show details" to explore individual sections. Use the community vote above or visit All Sections to vote per section.

Read official text

Want the full experience?

Create a free account to cast verified votes on each section, get a personalized summary, and track your voting history.

Create Free Account