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BITMAP Authorization Act

USA119th CongressHR-8253| House 
| Updated: 4/14/2026
Michael T. McCaul

Michael T. McCaul

Republican Representative

Texas

Cosponsors (3)
Maria Elvira Salazar (Republican)Joe Wilson (Republican)Henry Cuellar (Democratic)

Homeland Security Committee, Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This legislation establishes the Biometric Identification Transnational Migration Alert Program (BITMAP) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The primary purpose of BITMAP is to proactively address and reduce national security, border security, and terrorist threats before they reach the international border of the United States. It achieves this by coordinating with foreign governments and other federal agencies to facilitate the voluntary sharing of biometric and biographic information collected from foreign nationals. Under BITMAP, the Secretary of Homeland Security, through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is tasked with providing capabilities, including training and equipment, to partner countries. These capabilities enable foreign governments to voluntarily collect and compare identification data from individuals against various U.S. national security, border security, and counter-terrorism databases, such as IDENT and the Terrorist Screening Database. The goal is to identify, prevent, detect, and interdict high-risk individuals who may attempt to enter the United States via illicit pathways. The bill mandates that DHS ensure U.S. citizen data captured by BITMAP is expunged unless retained for specific law enforcement or intelligence purposes. New BITMAP operations in foreign countries require formal agreements and congressional notification. The program is subject to annual reports to Congress detailing its strategic goals, progress, budget, and effectiveness, along with regular briefings and a triennial audit by the Government Accountability Office to assess its overall impact. This section of the Homeland Security Act is set to terminate six years after its enactment.
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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-2045
BITMAP Authorization Act
Apr 13, 2026
Introduced in House
Apr 13, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Apr 14, 2026
Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-2045
    BITMAP Authorization Act


  • April 13, 2026
    Introduced in House


  • April 13, 2026
    Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.


  • April 14, 2026
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.

Immigration

BITMAP Authorization Act

USA119th CongressHR-8253| House 
| Updated: 4/14/2026
This legislation establishes the Biometric Identification Transnational Migration Alert Program (BITMAP) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The primary purpose of BITMAP is to proactively address and reduce national security, border security, and terrorist threats before they reach the international border of the United States. It achieves this by coordinating with foreign governments and other federal agencies to facilitate the voluntary sharing of biometric and biographic information collected from foreign nationals. Under BITMAP, the Secretary of Homeland Security, through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is tasked with providing capabilities, including training and equipment, to partner countries. These capabilities enable foreign governments to voluntarily collect and compare identification data from individuals against various U.S. national security, border security, and counter-terrorism databases, such as IDENT and the Terrorist Screening Database. The goal is to identify, prevent, detect, and interdict high-risk individuals who may attempt to enter the United States via illicit pathways. The bill mandates that DHS ensure U.S. citizen data captured by BITMAP is expunged unless retained for specific law enforcement or intelligence purposes. New BITMAP operations in foreign countries require formal agreements and congressional notification. The program is subject to annual reports to Congress detailing its strategic goals, progress, budget, and effectiveness, along with regular briefings and a triennial audit by the Government Accountability Office to assess its overall impact. This section of the Homeland Security Act is set to terminate six years after its enactment.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-2045
BITMAP Authorization Act
Apr 13, 2026
Introduced in House
Apr 13, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Apr 14, 2026
Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-2045
    BITMAP Authorization Act


  • April 13, 2026
    Introduced in House


  • April 13, 2026
    Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.


  • April 14, 2026
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement.
Michael T. McCaul

Michael T. McCaul

Republican Representative

Texas

Cosponsors (3)
Maria Elvira Salazar (Republican)Joe Wilson (Republican)Henry Cuellar (Democratic)

Homeland Security Committee, Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee

Immigration

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted