The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has shifted oversight of its vast biometric data operations to Chief Information Officer Antoine McCord, giving him control of the Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM), the FedScoop reported.
Earlier in March, DHS appointed McCord as its CIO, to oversee the department’s enterprise-wide IT strategy, cybersecurity operations and digital modernization initiatives.
The move, directed by the White House’s Homeland Security Council, is part of an ongoing review of the government’s use of biometrics. OBIM systems support critical DHS operations, including those run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.
Central to the transition is the long-delayed Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology (HART) program, intended to replace the aging Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT).
A White House spokesperson said the change will “align biometrics technology investments across the Department, accelerate the delivery of HART and prioritize delivering a unified biometric experience for DHS.”