Rep. Byron Donalds proposes legislation for review of border biometric entry and exit system

A bill crafted by U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds aims to assess and strengthen the use of biometric data systems at U.S. border checkpoints, the U.S. Congress reports.

Designated H.R.8371, the legislation was introduced April 20, 2026, during the 119th Congress’s 2026 regular session. Below, our summary—based on the actual text of the bill—clarifies its main points and interpretations.

The legislation directs a review of how U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) deploys an integrated system for biometric entry and exit data. Within 180 days of its passage, the Secretary of Homeland Security must issue reports describing effects on wait times, audit processes, private sector involvement, milestones, potential risks, and impacts on both travel and trade. In addition, the Secretary is to detail procedures for matching departing individuals’ biometric data to earlier records and ensure the system limits disruptions to transportation. The bill also addresses protocols for sharing biographic data with Canada under a prior arrangement and states this measure does not restrict the collection of biometric data elsewhere.

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla., 19th District) introduced the bill as its sole sponsor.

Since the start of this congressional session, Rep. Donalds has sponsored 21 other bills.

Legislation in Congress may be introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate, except measures related to revenue, which originate in the House. New bills are assigned to committees for evaluation, hearings, amendments, and debate before potentially proceeding to votes in both chambers. If each chamber passes the same version, the legislation proceeds to the president, who may sign it into law or issue a veto. Each Congress convenes in two-year terms divided into annual sessions, and the official legislative process and records are managed by Congress and presented on Congress.gov.

Byron Donalds represents Florida and was born in Brooklyn, New York, on Oct. 28, 1978. He completed his studies at Nazareth Regional High School in 1996, attended Florida A&M University from 1996 to 1999, and earned a bachelor’s from Florida State University in 2002.

Donalds served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2016 through 2020 and ran unsuccessfully for the 113th Congress in 2012. He went on to win election to the 117th Congress and has been reelected twice.

Information for this article was sourced from the U.S. Congress. Access the data here.