Pia

Privacy Impact Assessment
for the
TECS System: CBP Primary and Secondary Processing
December 22, 2010
Contact Point
Valerie Isbell
Office of Information Technology
Customs and Border Protection
(571) 468-3100
Reviewing Official
Mary Ellen Callahan
Chief Privacy Officer
Department of Homeland Security
(703) 235-0780

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Abstract
The TECS (not an acronym) System is the updated and modified version of the former Treasury
Enforcement Communications System. TECS is owned and managed by the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security’s (DHS) component United States (U.S.) Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
TECS is both an information-sharing platform, which allows users to access different databases that may
be maintained on the platform or accessed through the platform, and the name of a system of records that
include temporary and permanent enforcement, inspection, and operational records relevant to the
antiterrorism and law enforcement mission of CBP and numerous other federal agencies that it supports.
TECS not only provides a platform for interaction between these systems and defined TECS
users, but also serves as a data repository to support law enforcement “lookouts,” border screening, and
reporting for CBP’s primary and secondary inspection processes, which are generally referenced as TECS
Records or Subject Records. In order to provide more transparency as it relates to the functions and data
in TECS, CBP published separate Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) and Privacy Act System of
Records Notices (SORNs) for the CBP sub-systems based on the purpose and use of the information.
CBP also maintains other federal agency data on TECS to stage the information for use by CBP at the
time an individual presents himself/herself to CBP. This allows TECS to work more efficiently and
reduces the performance impact on the originating systems.
This PIA focuses on CBP’s use and modernization of TECS as it relates to the primary and
secondary inspection processes (including information collected in advance of arrival, during inspections
at the United States (U.S.) port of entry (POE), and retention of information and reports following
interactions during U.S. border crossing activities) to ensure compliance with the numerous laws enforced
by CBP, including determining the admissibility of persons attempting to enter the U.S. CBP will issue a
separate PIA to address the information access and system linkages facilitated for CBP, DHS, and other
federal agency systems that link to TECS and share data within the TECS user community.

Overview
Pursuant to the Homeland Security Act of 2002, the E-Government Act of 2002, and to provide
expanded notice and transparency to the public, DHS/CBP is issuing this PIA for TECS as it pertains to
CBP’s use of TECS as a data repository in the primary and secondary screening processes to ensure
compliance with the numerous laws enforced by CBP, including laws governing the admissibility of
persons attempting to enter the U.S.
This PIA focuses on those aspects of TECS that relate to CBP’s interaction with the general
public during the various stages of international travel that involve crossing the U.S. border. Focusing on
TECS and its sub-systems, this PIA discusses the collection and use of personally identifiable information
(PII) from individuals during events connected to international travel into or out of the U.S., CBP primary
and secondary inspection processes, and CBP enforcement actions.
DHS is charged with ensuring compliance with federal laws at the border including those
preventing contraband, other illegal goods, and inadmissible persons from entering or exiting the U.S.

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DHS’ border authorities permit the inspection, examination, and search of vehicles, persons, baggage, and
merchandise to ensure compliance with any law or regulation enforced or administered by DHS and its
components, and to determine if the merchandise is subject to duty or being introduced into the U.S.
contrary to law. Accordingly, all travelers entering the U.S. must undergo DHS customs and immigration
inspection to ensure that they are legally eligible to enter (as a U.S. citizen or otherwise) and that their
belongings are not being introduced into the U.S. contrary to law. It is not until those processes are
complete that a traveler, with or without his/her belongings, is permitted to enter the U.S.
Depending on the method of conveyance used to travel to the U.S. (e.g., air, sea, land (pedestrian
and vehicle)), CBP collects certain information from, and about, the traveling public at various stages of
the international trip in order to perform law enforcement queries on the traveling public prior to and/or at
the time of performing an inspection, including making admissibility determinations which may permit
entry into the U.S. Generally, within the rubric of TECS, CBP collects information: 1) prior to arrival
(e.g., Advance Passenger Information System1), 2) at the time of arrival (e.g., Nonimmigrant Inspection
System 2, Border Crossing Information system 3), and 3) as appropriate, throughout its inspection of the
international traveling public to detail certain enforcement related circumstances (e.g., TECS4, Seized
Assets and Case Tracking System 5). These systems are physically located within the information
technology (IT) architecture of TECS with discrete SORNs in place, recognizing each system’s discrete
purpose, distinct authority, differing populations, access rules, and retention periods. Inclusion of these
systems within the TECS IT architecture, often described as residing upon the TECS Platform, facilitates
the collection and cross-referencing of these data sets as a traveler crosses the border.
For the purposes of this PIA, “Subject Records” is a generic term that will be used to describe the
enforcement or inspection records located in TECS pertaining to individuals. Such records include, but
are not limited to, those records related to a violation of law discovered by CBP or another authorized
user agency or a CBP officer narrative concerning an interaction between CBP and a person. Subject
Records encompass not only violations of laws enforced by CBP, but may also include information on
violations of other federal and state laws.
Air/Sea Travel Process
In general, CBP obtains certain information about individuals traveling to the U.S. on commercial
or private aircraft, as well as commercial vessels, through CBP’s Advance Passenger Information System
(APIS). The information obtained from APIS is screened against TECS Records and other law
enforcement databases (e.g., National Criminal Information Center (NCIC)) in order for CBP to ascertain
if any security or law enforcement risks exist. These pre-arrival or pre-departure TECS queries include
checks against lookouts, such as “wants and warrants,” watchlist matches, etc., entered by law
enforcement officers or received from the Automated Targeting System (ATS) 6, previous border crossing
1

DHS/CBP-005 Advance Passenger Information System (APIS).
DHS/CBP-016 Nonimmigrant Information System (NIIS).
3
DHS/CBP-007 Border Crossing Information (BCI).
4
DHS/CBP-011 CBP TECS.
5
DHS/CBP-013 Seized Assets and Case Tracking System (SEACATS).
6
DHS/CBP-006 Automated Targeting System (ATS).
2

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history, including previously issued I-94 or I-94W arrival/departure records in the Nonimmigrant
Inspection System (NIIS), recorded prior violations of law, and records in the Seized Asset and Case
Tracking System (SEACATS).
Upon arrival in the U.S. in the air/sea environment, individuals are generally required to present
themselves to CBP at the POE’s primary arrival location (primary). At primary, CBP obtains information
directly from the traveler via his or her presented travel documents (e.g., passport) and/or verbal
communication between the CBP officer and the traveler.7 The information collected in primary is
matched against the previously provided APIS information and any Subject Records, to the extent they
exist.. At this point, CBP will collect any required forms such as, the I-94 Arrival Departure Record or
FinCen 105 Currency/ Monetary Instrument Report (CMIR) (a Bank Secrecy Act report concerning the
international movement of more than $10,000 worth of currency). These collections, in the air/sea
environment, are not an event that automatically necessitates referring a person to the secondary arrival
location (“secondary”).
For all individuals entering the U.S. at a POE, a record detailing the traveler’s border crossing is
captured through TECS and maintained in the Border Crossing Information System (BCI).
If the CBP officer at primary determines that additional inspection is needed, the traveler will be
referred to secondary. A record of the referral and secondary inspection is entered into TECS as a Subject
Record. During a secondary inspection, a CBP officer may run law enforcement queries through TECS
and other systems on the TECS Platform. Regardless of the outcome of the secondary inspection, the
CBP officer will create a record of the secondary inspection in TECS. If the secondary inspection results
in a violation being discovered, then a record may also be created in SEACATS.
If the CBP officer at primary determines that there are no admissibility issues, and any other
issues that might have arisen are successfully resolved, then an individual will be permitted to proceed to
collect their baggage. At some ports of entry, admissibility processing, customs clearance (also referred
to as baggage control), and inspections for compliance with the statutes and laws governing the
importation of agriculture occur simultaneously. While obtaining their baggage, travelers may also
interact with a CBP officer or CBP agriculture specialist who may question arriving travelers, particularly
about issues related to their baggage or agricultural items. This interaction may entail simple questioning
or a more thorough inspection of the traveler and their possessions, including baggage.
Land Travel Process
Unlike the air/sea travel where CBP has received APIS, CBP generally does not receive
information about individuals traveling to the U.S. by foot (pedestrian) or vehicle prior to their arrival at
the POE. There are no manifests required for travelers or private passenger vehicles entering the U.S. by
land. In certain instances, CBP may receive voluntary submission of passenger manifests for rail and
commercial bus traffic across the U.S. border. Additionally, with regard to commercial vehicle traffic,
7

At certain airport locations individuals who have been successfully enrolled in a CBP trusted traveler program may
be processed through CBP primary by scanning their designated trusted traveler document at an approved kiosk, or
by otherwise complying with the requirements of their specific trusted traveler program. The Global Enrollment
System (GES) PIA discusses the PII that is submitted to CBP as part of a trusted traveler application.

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CBP receives the cargo manifest, which also contains information concerning the driver and any
passengers, one hour prior to arrival. 8
Primary and secondary inspection processes will vary based on the different POE because of
geographical and logistical realities. In some POEs primary and secondary will occur at the same time
with the same CBP officer., While in other POEs primary and secondary will be in different locations
with more than one CBP officer.
Pedestrian Process
Pedestrians are required to present themselves to CBP at a designated POE upon arrival in the
U.S. At primary, the CBP officer at primary obtains information directly from the pedestrian via the
travel documents presented by the traveler (e.g., passport, other border crossing credential, and verbal
communication) and verifies the information. The CBP officer at primary will conduct a TECS query to
see if there are prior CBP violations that might indicate a need for further review as well as queries
against lookouts, such as “wants and warrants,” terrorist watchlist, etc.
If the CBP officer at primary determines that there may be an issue requiring further inspection,
such as concerns regarding admissibility, agriculture, or customs (baggage), then the traveler, typically,
will be referred to another CBP officer at secondary for processing. At the time of the referral to
secondary, the CBP officer at primary creates a record in TECS. Pedestrians who are required to obtain
an I-94 or I-94W will be referred to secondary for processing, but this action does not mean that the CBP
officer at primary will create a separate Subject Record of the inspection in TECS. For all individuals
entering the U.S. at a POE, a record detailing the traveler’s border crossing is captured through TECS and
maintained in the BCI.
A CBP officer at secondary may perform simple questioning or a full inspection relating to issues
such as admissibility, customs (baggage), or agricultural issues, based on the circumstances. During an
inspection at secondary, the CBP Officer may run law enforcement queries through TECS and other
systems on the TECS Platform. If the secondary inspection results in a violation being discovered, then a
record may also be created in SEACATS.
Vehicle Process
Vehicles are presented to CBP at the vehicle primary border crossing lanes upon arrival at a land
POE. At vehicle primary, the CBP officer obtains information directly from the driver and traveler(s)
within the vehicle via their travel documents (e.g., passport), and/or verbal communication. Vehicle
border crossing lanes may also contain license plate readers, which assist in querying the license plate
numbers of vehicles approaching primary. Additionally, vehicle border crossing lanes may contain radio
frequency identification (RFID) readers, which will query applicable travel documents that are within the
vehicle. 9

8
9

http://www.dhs.gov/files/publications/gc_1281020492905.shtm, under “ACS/ACE”.
http://www.dhs.gov/files/publications/gc_1281020492905.shtm, under WHTI.

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The information collected at vehicle primary is used to query TECS to assist the CBP officer in
determining the admissibility of the person(s) and otherwise inform the CBP officer charged with
enforcing other U.S. laws at the border. The CBP officer at primary will conduct a TECS query to see if
there are prior CBP violations that might indicate a need for further review as well as queries against
lookouts, such as “wants and warrants,” watchlist matches, etc. Additionally, the CBP officer at primary
will conduct searches based on the license plate information.
If the CBP officer at primary determines that further examination is appropriate (for example, to
address concerns related to admissibility, customs, and agriculture laws), then the vehicle and all of its
occupants will be referred to vehicle secondary for processing. Where an individual within a vehicle is
required to obtain an I-94 or I-94W prior to admission, the vehicle and all its occupants will be referred to
secondary for processing, but this action does not mean that the CBP officer at primary will create a
separate Subject Record of the inspection in TECS. During a vehicle secondary inspection, a CBP officer
may run law enforcement queries through other systems on the TECS Platform. A record of the
secondary is entered into TECS. If the secondary inspection results in a violation being discovered, then
a record may also be made in SEACATS.
TECS Modernization
TECS Modernization is a multi-year update to the basic operation and functionality of TECS.
The improvements include enhancements to the graphical user interface and, as well programming
changes to integrate and automate the exchange of information and officer referrals from primary
inspection to secondary inspection. Presently, the TECS user interface is a static text and menu-driven
screen manipulated by users through function keys and manually entered commands. The new user
interface being developed will employ graphical icons, permit the use of pointing devices (e.g., a mouse),
allow for the incorporation of photos and other biometric images, and provide for the use of interactive
screen icons to input data and perform functions.
The planned enhancements to information management and workflow incorporated into TECS
Modernization focus on providing CBP officers with a single screen for initiating and recording reports of
activities and queries of persons and their information performed during primary and secondary
inspection. At its most basic level, TECS Modernization will allow an officer at secondary to access,
view, and input information on the screens and records viewed and used by the officer encountering the
traveler at primary. This capability to share the operational view of a traveler’s progress through the
entirety of CBP’s inspection and admissibility processes not only improves efficiency, but also reduces
the incidence of false positives by permitting the CBP officer at secondary to cross reference and verify
the referral action made by the CBP officer at primary. The goal of TECS Modernization is to simplify
the functional operation of TECS for the CBP officer/user so as to permit the CBP officer to direct more
of his or her efforts toward interacting with the traveler or person crossing the border. These technical
changes do not impact the purposes and uses of the information maintained on the TECS platform such as
APIS, BCI, and SEACATS.

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Figure 1: Primary to Secondary Flow
Traveler

AIR/SEA Primary
AIRLINE

LAND PEDESTRIAN Primary

LAND VEHICLE Primary
VEHICLE
PRIMARY
APPLICATION

PEDESTRIAN
PRIMARY
APPLICATION

AIR/SEA PRIMARY
APPLICATION(S)

APIS RECEIVES
MANIFEST

APIS
RUNS PRIMARY
QUERIES

SCAN Travel
Document

RFID
READER

PRIMARY OFFICER
REVIEWS QUERY
RESULTS

Yes

RFID
READER

PERFORM
VEHICLE
QUERY

PERFORM
PERSON
QUERY

DISPLAY APIS
PRIMARY
QUERY
RESULTS

US VISIT
EXEMPT

LICENSE PLATE
READER
(LPR)

SCAN Travel
Document

SCAN Travel
Document

PERFORM
PERSON
QUERY

PRIMARY OFFICER
REVIEWS QUERY
RESULTS

No
CAPTURE
10-PRINT
BIOMETRICS

VERIFY
TRAVELERS
IDENTITY

PRIMARY
OFFICER
REVIEWS QUERY
RESULTS

REFER TO
SECONDARY

SECONDARY
REFERRAL
LIST

Yes

PERFORM
ADVERSE
ACTION

No

Yes

ADMISSIBILITY
INSPECTION

CUSTOMS
INSPECTION

AGRICULTURE
INSPECTION

No

REFER TO
ANOTHER
INSPECTION

Yes

REFER to
SECONDARY

IS TRAVELER
ADMISSIBLE
Yes

No

No

ADMIT
TRAVELER

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This PIA covers TECS as the primary repository for enforcement related activities at the border.
A separate PIA will be forthcoming that will separately address the technology for the TECS Platform
and provide a more detailed discussion on the interaction TECS has with other law enforcement systems.
(See the Appendix for a list of systems with which TECS interacts.)

Section 1.0 Characterization of the Information
1.1

What information is collected, used, disseminated, or
maintained in the system?

As part of processing individuals at the border, DHS/CBP conducts pre-arrival or pre-departure
TECS queries, which include checks against lookouts, such as “wants and warrants,” watchlist matches,
etc., entered by law enforcement officers or received from the ATS and confirmed by a CBP officer based
on threshold targeting rules. The fact that an individual may need additional inspection will be noted in
TECS as a Subject Record.
During CBP’s primary and secondary inspection processes, CBP may collect the following
information in TECS:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

•
•
•
•
•
•

Complete name (last name, first name, and middle name or initial);
Social Security number;
Date of birth;
Address;
Telephone number;
Citizenship;
Gender (F=Female; M=Male);
Photo image (where available);
Occupation;
Driver’s license information;
Import/export information;
Currency and other CMIR information;
Pleasure boat and private aircraft information;
Travel document information, including passports, visas, permanent registration cards, driver’s
licenses, etc. Information includes: document number, country of issuance, city of issuance,
consulate of issuance for visas, document type (P=Passport; V=Visa; A=Alien Registration),
issuance date, and expiration date;
Country of residence;
Alien registration number (where applicable);
U.S. address while in the U.S. (number and street, city, state, zip code);
International Air Transport Association (IATA) arrival port code;
IATA departure port code;
Seaport of departure and/or arrival;

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•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Flight/tail/voyage number (as applicable);
Date of flight/voyage arrival;
Date of flight/voyage departure;
Airline/vessel carrier code;
U.S. border crossing event history (where applicable);
License plate numbers (as read and forwarded by the license plate reader system or manually
entered by the CBP Officer) for all vehicles entering and leaving the U.S.; and
Fingerprint Identification Number (FIN) (where available).

Additionally, free-form text may be entered into certain record types by TECS authorized users.
The free-form text that is entered is intended to contain comments about certain events that are not
collected electronically by TECS, but have been determined necessary to properly reflect the context of a
record or an activity.
Information retained by other systems for which there is a TECS interface, which is requested to
be displayed by a TECS user, is displayed with the content unaltered. An example would be data returned
by NCIC as a result of a query originating in TECS. Upon verification that the NCIC result is a positive
match to the TECS query, a Subject Record is created.

1.2

What are the sources of the information in the system?

Data located in TECS is collected both directly and indirectly from the public. Information is
obtained directly from travelers during CBP primary or secondary inspections or as a result of a CBP
enforcement action, such as a seizure of merchandise. The information is also obtained directly from a
traveler’s travel documents and indirectly through cross-referencing with other systems such as APIS and
BCI or via direct access to another system. Information in TECS may also be collected from individuals
while departing the U.S.
Subject Records that are acquired from other agencies through linked access to their law
enforcement systems are expected to comply with the rules of those systems concerning sources and
methods of acquisition of information.
Other federal, state, local, and international law enforcement entities may also provide lookouts
and other law enforcement information that will be stored in TECS regarding a person of interest. TECS
maintains a copy of the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB). This information may be entered
directly by those agencies that are authorized TECS users or may be entered on behalf of those agencies
by CBP.
TECS provides CBP specifically authorized users with access to Nlets, formerly known as the
National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, which is owned by states of the U.S. and
provides standard driver license and vehicle queries to criminal history and Interpol information, as well
as California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS), which provides similar
information for the State of California. Nlets links together and supports every federal, state, local law

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enforcement, justice, and public safety agency for the purposes of sharing and exchanging critical
information.

1.3

Why is the information being collected, used,
disseminated, or maintained?

Relevant data, including PII, is necessary for CBP to effectively and efficiently perform its
inspection, including assessing the admissibility of a person attempting to enter the U.S. This assessment
includes analyzing the potential risk and/or threat posed by a person or a conveyance that is entering or
exiting the U.S. Data entered, retained, and communicated by TECS is intended for use by authorized
users of the system in order to facilitate CBP counterterrorism, law enforcement, border security, and
inspection activities, and the numerous other federal agencies that it supports.
CBP enforces many different agencies’ laws at the border (e.g., U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA)) requirements on Plant and Pest Quarantine, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s
restrictions on the importation of controlled substances), as such, other agencies have access to TECS and
are able enter information related to individuals who have or may have violated the law and for which
CBP is able to take action upon that individual when CBP encounters that individual. For example,
TECS maintains a copy of the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB). CBP uses that information to
determine whether or not individuals should be able to enter the country.

1.4

How is the information collected?

Certain information in TECS is collected directly from the traveler or his/her travel documents
during interaction with CBP. If any enforcement activity is undertaken with respect to an individual at a
CBP POE, a record of such action is recorded in TECS. Separately, the CBP Officer possesses the
discretion to enter a record in TECS for any interaction with a member of the public. If a violation of law
is discovered (e.g., undeclared merchandise at a POE) information related to the violation is entered into
TECS. In these situations, information will be taken directly from the subject individual, to the greatest
degree possible, consistent with the nature of the violation. Furthermore, information relating to
violations or lookouts may be entered into TECS by representatives from TECS user agencies consistent
with those agencies’ law enforcement or compliance mission.

1.5

How will the information be checked for accuracy?

Collected data is routinely compared to existing records to ensure that accurate information is
maintained. Information that is collected directly from the traveler or person will be checked for accuracy
through direct comparison of the person to the travel document and/or other forms of identification. CBP
relies on other systems to have appropriate processes in place to ensure the accuracy of the data being
shared through TECS.
Because of the law enforcement and border security context in which TECS is used, it is
sometimes impractical and inconsistent with the manner in which law enforcement information may be
obtained to directly verify the accuracy of information with the individual about whom the specific

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information pertains. However, because TECS is used by multiple agencies both within DHS and
outside, users other than the data owner who hold relevant knowledge may provide the data owner with
corrections for inaccuracies when they are discovered. Users that have access may directly query source
databases or other government databases to verify the accuracy of TECS information; when source
systems are updated, TECS will also be updated based on the manner in which TECS receives
information from the source system (electronically or manually entered).
Additionally, CBP has instituted an Officer-initiated function in TECS to address certain issues
pertaining to some records that may contain conflicting information. This function is referred to as the
Primary Lookout Override (PLOR) function. The PLOR function was developed to assist travelers who
are erroneously designated for secondary inspections because they possess a characteristic similar to a
person of interest. PLOR allows CBP Officers to override certain TECS Records where a similar
biographical trait exists between the traveler and another person who is the subject of a TECS Record,
provided that the non-subject traveler is able to provide a unique characteristic that differentiates him or
her from the person of interest. The PLOR procedures require supervisory approval before a PLOR
record may become active. All such amended transactions are logged by TECS and attributed to the
authorized user performing the correction. This includes any required supervisory approval.

1.6

What specific legal authorities/arrangements/agreements
define the collection of information?

The collection of manifest information from all passengers and crew members, which is screened
through TECS, was mandated by Congress in the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001
(ATSA), Public Law 107-71, 115 Stat. 597; the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Reform Act of 2002
(EBSA), Public Law 107-173, 116 Stat. 543; 49 U.S.C. § 44909 (applicable to carriers operating
passenger flights in foreign air transportation to the U.S.); 8 U.S.C. § 1221 (applicable to commercial
flights and vessels arriving in and departing from the U.S.); and CBP general statutory authority including
19 U.S.C. §§ 1431 and 1644a (requiring manifests for vessels and aircraft). Additionally, CBP has
general authority to conduct searches and detentions at the border, for example: 8 U.S.C. §§ 1225 and
1357; 19 U.S.C. §§ 482, 507, 1461, 1496, 1499, 1581, 1582, and 1595a(d); 22 U.S.C. § 401; and 31
U.S.C. § 5317, as well as the attending regulations of CBP promulgated at Titles 8 and 19 of the Code of
Federal Regulations. For a more comprehensive list of applicable authorities relevant to data collected in
TECS, please refer to the individual PIAs for the TECS systems/sub-systems in the Appendix.

1.7

Privacy Impact Analysis: Given the amount and type of
data being collected, discuss what privacy risks were
identified and how they were mitigated.

TECS is established as an overarching law enforcement information collection, analysis, and
sharing environment that securely links telecommunications devices and personal computers to a central
system and database. This environment is comprised of several modules designed to collect, maintain,
and screen data as well as conduct analysis, screening, and information sharing. The system is accessed
for data entry, communication, and query by approximately 70,000 authorized users, including personnel

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from government agencies outside of CBP and DHS. There is a risk that too much information is being
maintained and used in TECS. In light of the volume of records maintained and the number of authorized
users of TECS, all users must undergo a background investigation (BI) prior to granting access. In
addition to this threshold criterion for access, CBP also employs several layers of training, review, and
access control. All users are required to read and comply with the TECS security requirements, as well as
take and pass the TECS Security and Privacy Awareness course annually in order to establish and retain
TECS access. Supervisory review is required to ensure that only authorized records are entered and the
information is accurate. CBP’s Office of Internal Affairs has functions that allow it to monitor the use of
TECS. Extensive audit logs are maintained showing who has accessed records and what changes, if any,
were made to the records. Lastly, access to TECS is controlled by both the physical location and mission
responsibilities of the user (e.g., a CBP officer at primary at a port on the Southern border will not have
immediate access to information collected at a port along the Northern border).

Section 2.0 Uses of the System and the Information
2.1

Describe all the uses of information.

CBP uses TECS to document the interactions with individuals at the border when there is a
possible violation of a law that is enforced by CBP either through its own specific authorities or those
vested in it by another agency. TECS information is used to support the law enforcement and
counterterrorism mission of CBP, DHS, and other federal, state, local, international, and foreign law
enforcement agencies with law enforcement, intelligence, and counterterrorism responsibilities. TECS
query capabilities can be used to analyze data from various sources to assist authorized users in the
identification of areas of law enforcement interest, concern, or relationships indicating the possible
presence of such interests/concerns.
In addition to the above uses, CBP’s ATS employs Subject Records as part of its screening of
individuals. ATS will cross-reference Subject Records as part of its process of running an individual’s
information against the threshold targeting rules. Matches to a Subject Record or a threshold targeting
rule require further review by a CBP officer and may also result in additional inspection. The fact that an
individual has a Subject Record does not necessarily mean that individual will always match a threshold
targeting rule.
The Appendix of this PIA indicates the systems/sub-systems and functions that are incorporated
within TECS and those separate from TECS, which are queried by TECS, to support the primary and
secondary inspection processes.

2.2

What types of tools are used to analyze data and what type
of data may be produced?

Authorized users may employ TECS query capabilities to analyze data from various sources to
assist in the identification and comparison of similar and dissimilar aspects of previously unknown areas
of law enforcement interest and concern.

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TECS Modernization, a planned enhancement to the functionality of TECS relating to primary
and secondary processing, will include deployment of High Performance Primary Query (HPPQ) and
Consolidated Secondary Inspection Service (CSIS). HPPQ provides an updated replacement for the
backend processing of law enforcement queries conducted in primary by providing CBP officers at
primary with faster TECS query capabilities. HPPQ allows the primary CBP officer to more effectively
conduct law enforcement checks while simultaneously facilitating legitimate travel.
CSIS provides CBP officers with an updated graphic user interface (GUI) for processing travelers
referred to secondary. CSIS allows the CBP officer in secondary the ability to authenticate a referred
individual’s identity displaying the same photograph that was available during primary processing. The
databases associated with the travel documents presented during primary (e.g., visa, passport) are the
source for the photos displayed in CSIS. The sources for the photo databases include the U.S.
Department of State’s databases for passport and visa photos, U.S. VISIT photographs collected by CBP,
and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) photos.
Additionally, when enhanced driver’s licenses (EDL) are used as the travel document, photographs from
EDL participating agencies may be reviewed. Copies of these photograph databases may be maintained
on the TECS platform in order to meet “real time” capability requirements. 10 In addition to photographs,
CSIS displays the reason for the referral to the CBP officer in secondary.
TECS Subject Records are one of the data sources for ATS, which also uses threshold targeting
rules to identify individuals and cargo that may merit additional inspection.

2.3

If the system uses commercial or publicly available data
please explain why and how it is used.

TECS does not receive direct feeds of information from commercial data aggregators, and it does
not collect direct feeds from public news sources. Officers may incorporate publicly available
information into narrative reports contained in TECS if the CBP officer determines that the information is
relevant to the analysis being performed. Such incorporation is at the discretion of the CBP officer and is
not the result of an automated collection.

2.4

Privacy Impact Analysis: Describe any types of controls
that may be in place to ensure that information is handled
in accordance with the above described uses.

There is a privacy risk that information may be misused by CBP officers. Access to Subject
Records is controlled at the record level as well as at the system level through administrative passwords
and restrictive rules regarding access to the CBP Intranet, as well as the TECS database. Examples of the
types of access controls include: system entry validation; individual accountability; auditing; resource
access control; and security administrator control. In addition, the authorized users are limited to the roles
defined for their use of the system. Furthermore, all authorized users of TECS have had a BI, taken and
10

Copies of Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) photo databases are accessed at the time an individual seeks to cross
the border. See DHS/CBP-008 Non-Federal Entity Data Systems (NEDS).

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passed the annual TECS Security and Privacy Awareness course, and are given information on a “needto-know” basis only. Procedural and physical safeguards are utilized, such as accountability, receipt
records, and system audits.
System access to information in TECS by authorities outside of DHS is also governed by both a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and/or Interconnection Security Agreement (ISA) [note: ISAs
are required to establish networking, hardware, and security protocols for non-DHS systems to connect to
DHS systems]. Furthermore, CBP relies and adheres to the “Third Agency Rule” with respect to the
dissemination of Subject Records that are owned by another agency. Simply, this means that information
accessed and viewed through TECS cannot be disclosed outside of TECS and others who use TECS by
the accessing agency without specific approval of the agency or entity which owns (i.e., first collected
and submitted) the data being accessed.

Section 3.0 Retention
3.1

What information is retained?

TECS retains Subject Records, inspection reports, and information obtained from TECS subsystems or accessed systems, which supports the narrative contained in the Subject Record or inspection
report. This retention is consistent with the published Privacy Act SORN for TECS (December 19, 2008,
73 FR 77778). Some of the information that is retained in TECS may include information retained in
TECS sub-systems (e.g., BCI). Information that is contained in a TECS sub-system is retained for a
period consistent with that sub-system’s SORN. In addition, TECS retains audit logs pertaining to all
user’s keystrokes and access sessions, for purposes of ensuring compliance with the safeguarding and
security protocols pertaining to TECS.

3.2

How long is information retained?

Subject Records and inspection reports are retained by TECS for a maximum of 75 years from the
date of last collection of data, with updates occurring on a transactional, as-needed basis. A Subject
Record is only created by the TECS user (e.g., CBP Officer, ICE Special Agent), if there is an
enforcement interest in the subject or the subject is connected to an enforcement action. The Subject
Record may be updated to add, modify, or delete certain content in the record. Subject Records may be
deleted by an authorized user, or the person responsible for placing the record in TECS, if the user’s
supervisor authorizes that action. In all cases, TECS logs the action taken by each authorized user on data
records.
Additionally, systems and sub-systems of TECS, (e.g., APIS, BCI, and NIIS) have their own
retention periods. For a description of those systems and sub-systems and their respective retention
periods, please see their published Privacy Act SORNs listed on the DHS Privacy Office website at
www,dhs.gov/privacy.

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3.3

Has the retention schedule been approved by the
component records officer and the National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA)?

Subject Records retention schedules have been reviewed by CBP’s records officer. CBP is in the
process of obtaining approval from NARA for the current retention schedule that conforms to the Privacy
Act SORN published in December 2008.

3.4

Privacy Impact Analysis: Given the purpose of retaining
the information, explain why the information is needed for
the indicated period.

CBP has determined it needs to maintain the Subject Record for a period of 75 years to support
determinations of admissibility in accordance with the Immigration and Naturalization Act. Persons may
travel to the U.S. throughout their lifetime and access to relevant past interactions between a person and
the government assist CBP Officers in assessing the potential risk posed by the person, and whether or
not the person may be admitted to the U.S. Of the data retained by TECS, the Subject Record produced
after an enforcement incident is of concern when evaluating the privacy considerations of creating and
retaining such a record. This is due to the fact that CBP creates and updates the Subject Record as a result
of enforcement interest in or encounter with the subject in question, in accordance with CBP policy and
procedures; the record directly pertains to the person/subject, and is used to inform future encounters with
the subject. The record is updated when the nature or status of the enforcement interest changes or CBP
becomes aware that the information contained within the record requires an update. In all cases, CBP
enforcement personnel will apply applicable policy, procedure, and law in dealing with the subject. The
retention of the Subject Record is deemed necessary to equip CBP enforcement personnel with all facts
known about the subject that are consistent with CBP enforcement interests in the subject.

Section 4.0 Internal Sharing and Disclosure
4.1

With which internal organizations is the information
shared, what information is shared and for what purpose?

Consistent with DHS regulations and the One DHS policy, the information collected in TECS
may be shared with all DHS components that show a need to know the information, consistent with the
component’s mission. The following DHS components or offices currently receive or have access to
TECS information:
•
•
•
•
•

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
U.S. Secret Service (USSS)
U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT)

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•
•
•

DHS Inspector General (IG)
Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A)

The objectives of sharing TECS data within the DHS community are: 1) to provide the DHS
enforcement community a common repository with query capability that houses information gleaned from
and about suspected or known violators of the law; 2) to provide the ability for timely communication of
information related to known or suspected criminals to the CBP Officer or other DHS employee, such as
ICE Agents; and 3) to provide a common repository for the routine recording of law enforcement activity,
including investigations, inspection results, and assets that may be seized from criminals as a result of law
enforcement activities.

4.2

How is the information transmitted or disclosed?

TECS information may be transmitted either electronically or as printed materials to authorized
personnel.

4.3

Privacy Impact Analysis: Considering the extent of internal
information sharing, discuss the privacy risks associated
with the sharing and how they were mitigated.

In order to mitigate the privacy risks of PII being misused or inappropriately used, DHS
personnel must establish a need to know the information as part of their official employment duties to
access the information. Additionally, internal DHS access to the data is controlled by CBP through the
use of strict access controls for the users, passwords, background investigations on individuals who have
access to the data, as well as system audits that track and report on access to the data. Furthermore, all
TECS users are required to take and pass the annual TECS Security and Privacy Awareness course in
order to establish and retain TECS access. Supervisory review is required for creating records, such as
Subject Records, to ensure that only authorized records are entered and the information is accurate.
CBP’s Office of Internal Affairs has functions that allow it to monitor the use of TECS. Extensive audit
logs are maintained showing who has accessed records and what changes, if any, were made to the
records.

Section 5.0 External Sharing and Disclosure
5.1 With which external organizations is the information
shared, what information is shared and for what purpose?
TECS information may be shared with agencies that have demonstrated a justifiable need for the
TECS information. Authorization for an outside entity’s access to TECS is granted by the TECS Program
Manager (in concurrence with all necessary DHS/CBP offices) and authorized via a MOU between
DHS/CBP and the outside entity. An Information Sharing Agreement will also be utilized to cover any
interface implemented between DHS/CBP and an outside entity. The MOU specifies the general terms

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and conditions that govern the use of the functionality or data, including privacy-related limitations on
use, and the types of information in TECS to which the agency is being granted access, depending upon
its mission needs. The ISA specifies the data elements, format and interface type to include the
operational considerations of the interface.
TECS information may also be shared with outside federal, state, local, tribal, and foreign law
enforcement, counterterrorism, and border security agencies in the absence of a MOU. Typically, the
requesting or receiving agency must be able to identify or have identified a need-to-know, a specific
purpose for the information, and a use that is consistent with a routine use published in the most recent
TECS Privacy Act SORN.
The TECS information that is shared with agencies outside of CBP is the same information that is
shared internally. This information usually entails existing TECS Records pertaining to an enforcement
action, illegal activity or suspected illegal activity associated with the subject party. The TECS
information is shared with external agencies for law enforcement, counterterrorism, and border and public
security purposes.

5.2

Is the sharing of personally identifiable information outside
the Department compatible with the original collection? If
so, is it covered by an appropriate routine use in a SORN?
If so, please describe. If not, please describe under what
legal mechanism the program or system is allowed to
share the personally identifiable information outside of
DHS.

Yes, sharing of TECS information outside the Department is compatible with the border security
and law enforcement purposes for which the information in TECS is collected. For example, the Privacy
Act SORN for TECS has several routine uses which provide for sharing in a law enforcement context
with federal, state, local, tribal, foreign, and international law enforcement agencies. In addition, the
Privacy Act SORN for TECS contains routine uses to permit sharing with agencies in the intelligence
community, when the need to know has a nexus to border security.

5.3

How is the information shared outside the Department and
what security measures safeguard its transmission?

Access to Subject Records is also governed by a need-to-know criteria that demands that the
receiving entity demonstrate a mission related need for the data before access is granted. The reason for
the access, the scope of its use, and the purpose to which it will be employed are the primary privacy
related concerns that are included in both the initial and ongoing authorization (MOU and ISA) that is
negotiated between CBP and a respective agency seeking access to TECS.
TECS information may be transmitted or disclosed to external agencies through approved
methods. All TECS users are required to read and comply with the TECS security requirements, as well
as take and pass the annual TECS Security and Privacy Awareness course in order to establish and retain

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TECS access. Currently, CBP has several MOUs with external agencies covering the sharing of Subject
Records.
Alternatively, if the agency seeking the TECS information does not have an electronic interface
into TECS, appropriate TECS Records will be transmitted pursuant to the terms of the MOU between
CBP and the agency or on a case-by-case basis.

5.4

Privacy Impact Analysis: Given the external sharing,
explain the privacy risks identified and describe how they
were mitigated.

When sharing TECS information with parties outside of DHS, the same specifications related to
security and privacy that are in place for CBP and DHS apply to the outside entity. Access to Subject
Records is governed by a “need to know” criteria that demands the receiving entity demonstrate the
mission related need for the data before access is granted. The reason for the access, a specific mission
purpose, and an intended use consistent with the receiving agency’s purpose and CBP’s justification for
collecting the data, are also concerns that are included in either the terms of a negotiated MOU and ISA or
the language of an authorization providing facilitated access to an external agency. The MOU specifies
the general terms and conditions that govern the use of the functionality or data, including limitations on
use. The ISA specifies the data elements, format, and interface type, including the operational
considerations of the interface. MOUs and ISAs are periodically reviewed, and outside entities must
agree to use, security, and privacy standards before Certificates to Operate (CTO) are issued or renewed.

Section 6.0 Notice
6.1

Was notice provided to the individual prior to collection of
information?

Yes. Individuals attempting to enter into the U.S. are required to provide information in the form
of a DHS approved travel document as well as any necessary forms (e.g., I-94 form, FinCEN 105). CBP
has posted signs at POEs providing notification of the information or forms required. This signage,
CBP’s website, the Privacy Act SORN for TECS, and the associated PIA for TECS provide individuals
with notice of what CBP’s requirements are for entering into the country. Additionally, during a
secondary inspection CBP will provide individuals further notice regarding any additional information
required.
CBP uses the information collected to query TECS Records to ascertain whether or not the
individual is previously known to the law enforcement community. If that query produces no results, the
individual’s information is processed by the CBP Officer as part of the inspection process and for
purposes of admissibility into the U.S. The information will be stored in the BCI System, or other
appropriate system, such as the NIIS, and may be shared in accordance with the routine uses for those
Privacy Act SORNs.

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6.2

Do individuals have an opportunity and/or right to decline
to provide information?

Generally, there is no opportunity for an individual to decline to provide information that is
required in order to travel to enter the U.S. Pursuant to CBP’s border search and immigration authority,
an individual seeking entry into the U.S. must satisfy the CBP Officer that he/she is a U.S. citizen, LPR or
otherwise eligible for admission to the U.S., and that he/she is not attempting to import or export any
merchandise in violation of U.S. laws.

6.3

Do individuals have the right to consent to particular uses
of the information, and if so, how does the individual
exercise the right?

No, individuals do not have the right to consent to particular uses of the information. The
information maintained in TECS is required to be submitted prior to admission to the U.S. and is used to
determine eligibility to enter the U.S.

6.4

Privacy Impact Analysis: Describe how notice is provided
to individuals, and how the risks associated with
individuals being unaware of the collection of information
are mitigated.

There is a risk that the individual may not know that their information is being maintained in
TECS in the ways described. Accordingly, CBP has published the Privacy Act SORN for TECS and this
PIA to increase the transparency of its operations.

Section 7.0 Access, Redress and Correction
7.1

What are the procedures which allow individuals to gain
access to their own information?

The Secretary of Homeland Security has exempted TECS from the notification, access, and
amendment procedures of the Privacy Act because it is a law enforcement system. However, CBP will
consider individual requests to determine whether or not information may be released. Thus, individuals
seeking notification of and access to any record contained in TECS, or seeking to contest its content may
gain access to certain information in TECS about themselves by filing a Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) request with CBP at:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
FOIA Division
799 9th Street NW, Mint Annex
Washington, DC 20229-1177

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7.2

What are the procedures for correcting inaccurate or
erroneous information?

If a traveler believes that CBP actions are the result of incorrect or inaccurate information, then
inquiries may be directed to:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
CBP Info Center
Office of Public Affairs
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20229
Travelers may also contact DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (TRIP), 601 South 12th
Street, TSA-901, Arlington, VA 22202-4220 or online at www.dhs.gov/trip. Individuals making inquiries
should provide as much identifying information as possible regarding themselves to identify the record(s)
at issue.
Additionally, CBP has instituted an Officer-initiated function in TECS to address certain issues
pertaining to some records that may contain conflicting information. This function is referred to as the
Primary Lookout Override (PLOR) function. The PLOR function was developed to assist travelers who
are erroneously designated for secondary inspections because they possess a characteristic similar to a
person of interest. PLOR allows CBP Officers to override certain TECS Records where a similar
biographical trait exists between the traveler and another person who is the subject of a TECS Record,
provided that the non-subject traveler is able to provide a unique characteristic that differentiates him or
her from the person of interest. The PLOR procedures require supervisory approval before a PLOR
record may become active. All such amended transactions are logged by TECS and attributed to the
authorized user performing the correction. This includes any required supervisory approval.

7.3

How are individuals notified of the procedures for
correcting their information?

No individual notification of procedures for correcting TECS Records is currently provided.
TECS contains investigatory material compiled for law enforcement purposes and is exempt from the
amendment provisions of the Privacy Act. Notification to individuals that they are or have been the
subject of a law enforcement investigation would undermine the performance of the law enforcement
mission of CBP. However, inasmuch as mistakes in TECS may exist, requests for redress should be
directed the avenues listed in Section 7.2.

7.4

If no formal redress is provided, what alternatives are
available to the individual?

Formal redress is provided through the avenues mentioned in Section 7.2.

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7.5

Privacy Impact Analysis: Please discuss the privacy risks
associated with the redress available to individuals and
how those risks are mitigated.

TECS is a law enforcement application that retains sensitive data on individuals that are primarily
subject to an enforcement action or are suspected of or known to be violators of the law. Consequently,
the fact that CBP has created and retained records on an individual often stems from the fact that the
individual is suspected of or known to be in violation of the law. Accordingly, Privacy Act access and
procedural rights have been limited. However, CBP recognizes that TECS also maintains records related
to certain activities that are not necessarily illegal (e.g., border crossing activities). In light of this, CBP
has segregated those systems and sub-systems and published separate Privacy Act SORNs to address this
unique aspect of TECS.
In general, the data collected and retained by TECS that identifies an individual is typically
provided by the individual as the result of processing at the U.S. border, and in some circumstances may
be certified by that individual as accurate as part of that process. Data reflecting inspection results,
suspected commission of crimes, associations with known criminals, and other enforcement related
comments is typically entered by DHS enforcement personnel and appended to the data that was
originally provided by the individual. However, CBP regularly reviews its processes for redress and is
currently modifying the redress and correction mechanism for individuals that need to correct collected
data. Part of this effort is reflected in Section 7.2.

Section 8.0 Technical Access and Security
8.1

What procedures are in place to determine which users
may access the system and are they documented?

In order to gain and maintain access to TECS information, a user must have, at a minimum, the
appropriate BI and successfully take and pass the annual TECS Security and Privacy Awareness course,
well as have a need to know TECS information. An agency representative (CBP supervisor or agency
National System Control Officer (SCO)) submits the request to CBP indicating the individual has a need
to know for official purposes. CBP verifies that the necessary BI and security and privacy training have
been completed prior to issuing a new user account.
Every new and existing user of TECS is assigned an SCO. The SCO is responsible for the user’s
profile record and assigns the role(s) and the functions within that role. The SCO may assign only
functions for which the SCO has authority to use, as well as authority to assign. User accounts are
reviewed periodically and certified annually to ensure that these standards are maintained.

8.2

Will Department contractors have access to the system?

Yes. CBP employs contract personnel for TECS analysis, programming, testing, and operations
support. These contract personnel undergo the same BI and security and privacy training as CBP

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personnel. Their access to TECS is granted to facilitate their delivery of tasks, as defined by their
respective contract. Other DHS contractors may have similar access.

8.3

Describe what privacy training is provided to users either
generally or specifically relevant to the program or
system?

Initial TECS access is not activated for an individual without completion of the TECS Security
and Privacy Awareness course and a successful score on the associated test. The course presents Privacy
Act responsibilities and agency policy with regard to the security, sharing, and safeguarding of both
official information and PII. The course also provides a number of sharing and access scenarios to test
the prospective user’s understanding of appropriate controls put in place to protect privacy. A user must
pass the course test scenarios to gain and retain access to TECS. This training is regularly updated and
TECS users are required to take the course annually.

8.4

Has Certification & Accreditation been completed for the
system or systems supporting the program?

The TECS application has been Certified and Accredited (C&A) in accordance with the
requirements defined under the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). The most
recent C&A for TECS was completed in December 2008. Additionally, the TECS Modernization effort,
a multi-year upgrade to the TECS system and functionality, received its initial C&A in July 2009.

8.5

What auditing measures and technical safeguards are in
place to prevent misuse of data?

TECS maintains audit trails or logs for the purpose of reviewing user activity. TECS actively
prevents access to information for which a user lacks authorization, as defined by the user’s role in the
system, location of duty station, and/or job position. Multiple attempts to access information without
proper authorization will cause TECS to suspend access automatically. Misuse of TECS Records can
subject a user to criminal and civil penalties, as well as discipline in accordance with the CBP Code of
Conduct, which can include being removed from one’s position. The TECS Platform PIA discusses the
auditing procedures in greater detail.

8.6

Privacy Impact Analysis: Given access and security
controls, what privacy risks were identified and describe
how they were mitigated.

Privacy risks identified with respect to access and security were the inappropriate use and access
of the information. These risks are mitigated through training, background investigations, internal system
audit controls, the CBP Code of Conduct and Disciplinary system, and criminal and civil penalties.
Additionally, CBP employs a practice of least privileged system access, which limits the ability of a user
to access information that exceeds the mission scope of the user’s assigned duties.

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Section 9.0 Technology
9.1

What type of project is the program or system?

TECS is a “legacy” application that was developed in-house in the late 1980s by the former U.S.
Customs Service.
TECS is currently undergoing a system-wide technological upgrade, referred to as TECS
Modernization, which is changing the presentation, format, and overall operating environment supporting
TECS.

9.2

What stage of development is the system in and what
project development lifecycle was used?

TECS is an operational system.
The initial phase of TECS Modernization is currently deployed at five CBP POEs, and is awaiting
approval for deployment to additional sites in a fully operational capacity.

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9.3

Does the project employ technology which may raise
privacy concerns? If so please discuss its implementation.

TECS was designed as a centrally-deployed system run on a mainframe environment. Best
practices for system and application security were incorporated as part of the overall design, including but
not limited to, integrating TECS Privacy and Security Awareness course completion into access
authorization to TECS and supervisory approval requirements for a majority of the information entered
into TECS. Currently, TECS runs on a mainframe located within CBP. TECS Modernization will
provide all of the functionality provided by legacy TECS, however operations will move to a distributed
system. TECS Records are available via secure web interfaces to a limited number of agencies and field
support personnel via the CBP Vetting subsystem. TECS Modernization, including CBP Vetting, utilizes
FIPS 140-2 compliant federally mandated encryption standards to protect privacy data.

Responsible Officials
Valerie Isbell, Executive Director, Passenger Systems Program Office, Office of Information and
Technology, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, (571) 468-3100.
Kim Mills, Director, Traveler Entry Programs, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, (202) 344-1438.
Laurence Castelli, CBP Privacy Officer, Office of International Trade, U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, (202) 325-0280.

Approval Signature
Original signed copy on file with the DHS Privacy Office
Mary Ellen Callahan
Chief Privacy Officer
Department of Homeland Security

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APPENDIX
As mentioned above, TECS is both a repository of different data sets and an information sharing
platform. Below you will find three tables:
•
•

•

Table 1 describes the data that resides on the TECS Platform and is collected by CBP and
covered by a CBP Privacy Act SORN.
Table 2 describes data that resides on the TECS Platform but was not collected by CBP and is
covered by another Federal Agencies’ Privacy Act SORN. The information resides on TECS in
order to allow TECS to meet its operational needs to respond quickly so as not to have lines at the
border.
Table 3 describes the systems that are accessible through TECS but for which the data does not
actually reside.

TECS has the following sub-system and linked system interfaces that may be utilized as
described above and in the relevant Privacy Act SORNs and PIAs. Please note that several of the
systems/sub-systems referenced below may have separate Privacy Act SORNs and/or PIAs published.
For a more detailed discussion of the systems/sub-systems please see the appropriate document listing on
the DHS Privacy Office website at www.dhs.gov/privacy.
Table 1 Sub-systems – Data that resides on the TECS Platform and is collected by CBP
Sub-system

Privacy Act –
System of Records
Notice – Federal
Register
73 Fed. Reg.
68435

Published or
Pending PIA

General Comments

YES

See APIS PIA and SORN for more
information on APIS. These
documents can be found on the DHS
Privacy Office website at
www.dhs.gov/privacy.

Border Crossing
Information (BCI)

73 Fed. Reg.
43457

YES

See BCI PIA and SORN.

Global Enrollment System
(GES)

71 Fed. Reg.
20708

YES

Non-immigrant
Information System (NIIS)
- I-94 and I-94W
data/query

73 Fed. Reg.
77739

NO

See GES PIA. Principal system for
collecting and storing information
on individuals who have enrolled in
a CBP trusted traveler program.
See NIIS SORN.

Seized Asset and Case
Tracking System
(SEACATS)

73 Fed. Reg.
77764

PIA currently
Pending for
Publication

Advance Passenger
Information System
(APIS)

See SEACATS SORN.

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Table 2 Data that resides on TECS but is not collected by CBP
Sub-system or Interface
Name

Published or
Pending PIA

General Comments

YES

PIERS is a U.S. Department of
State system.

Interface with Non-Federal 73 Fed. Reg.
Entity Data System
43462
(NEDS)
Interface with U.S.
72 Fed. Reg. 1755
Citizenship and
Information Services:
Alien File (A-File) and
Central Index System
(CIS)

Yes

States with Enhanced Drivers
Licenses

Yes

Interface with the DHS
Watchlist Service

Yes

USCIS provides data from the
Central Index System (CIS) on
persons entitled to lawful
permanent residence, refugees, and
asylees, all classes of persons
whose information is maintained by
DHS as being entitled to special
procedures regarding admissibility
under the Immigration and
Naturalization Act.
In accordance with the Watchlist
Service PIA (July 14, 2010),
Watchlist information for CBP is
maintained in TECS

Interface with U.S.
Department of State:
Passport Information
Electronic Records System
(PIERS)

Privacy Act –
System of Records
Notice – Federal
Register
73 Fed. Reg
16602008

73 Fed. Reg.
77778

Privacy Impact Assessment
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, TECS
Page 28

Table 3 Data that is accessible through TECS but does not reside on TECS
Sub-system or Interface
Name

National Crime
Information Center
(NCIC)
NLETS (formerly known
as the National Law
Enforcement
Telecommunications
System)
California Law
Enforcement
Telecommunications
System (CLETS)
Canadian Police
Information Center (CPIC)

Privacy Act –
System of Records
Notice – Federal
Register
64 Fed. Reg.
52343

Published or
Pending PIA

General Comments

YES

NCIC is U.S. Department of Justice
system.

NO

NO

Owned by the states of the U.S., not
subject to PA or E-Gov.

NO

NO

See above.

NO

NO

Foreign agencies are not subject to
PA or E-Gov.