Pia Tecs

Privacy Impact Assessment
for the

TECS System: Platform

DHS/CBP/PIA-021

August 12, 2016
Contact Point

John Maulella

Office of Field Operations

Customs and Border Protection

(202) 344-2605

Reviewing Official

Jonathan R. Cantor

Acting Chief Privacy Officer

Department of Homeland Security

(202) 343-1717

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Abstract
The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection owns and
operates the TECS (not an acronym) system. The TECS Platform facilitates information sharing
among federal, state, local, and tribal government agencies, as well as with international
governments and commercial organizations. CBP’s mission includes the enforcement of the
customs, immigration, and agriculture laws and regulations of the United States and the
enforcement at the border of hundreds of laws on behalf of numerous federal agencies. Through
the TECS Platform, users are able to input, access, or maintain law enforcement, inspection,
intelligence-gathering, and operational records. CBP is publishing this Privacy Impact
Assessment as a complement to the previously published DHS/CBP/PIA-009, CBP Primary and
Secondary Processing PIA from 2010, to provide notice to the public and to assess the privacy
risks and mitigations associated with the TECS Platform.

Overview
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
United States. 1 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 United States contrary to law. DHS/CBP’s mission
includes the enforcement of the customs, immigration, and agriculture laws and regulations of
the United States and the enforcement at the border of hundreds of laws on behalf of numerous
federal agencies.
Accordingly, all travelers entering the United States 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 United States 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 United States.
Depending on the method of conveyance used to travel to the United States (e.g., air, sea,
or land (pedestrian and vehicle)), CBP collects certain information from, and about, the traveling
public at various stages of the international trip. As part of the inspection and admissibility
process, CBP performs law enforcement queries on the traveling public prior to and/or at the
time of performing an inspection, including making admissibility determinations that may permit
entry into the United States. Generally, CBP collects information:

1

See authorities listed in Section 1.0.

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1) Prior to arrival in the United States (e.g., Advance Passenger Information System 2),
2) At the time of arrival (e.g., Nonimmigrant Inspection System, 3 Border Crossing
Information system 4), and
3) As appropriate, throughout its inspection of the international traveling public to detail
certain enforcement related circumstances (e.g., TECS, 5 Seized Assets and Case Tracking
System (SEACATS) 6).
These different types of information collections are physically located within the
information technology (IT) architecture of TECS with discrete System of Records Notices
(SORN) in place, recognizing each system’s discrete purpose, distinct authority, differing
populations, access rules, and retention periods. The 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.
TECS System
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 CBP. TECS is
both an information-sharing platform, “TECS 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 law enforcement system, “TECS, 7” that includes 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 different types of
information (e.g. APIS, BCI, TECS, and SEACATS) 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. 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 the TECS module
of the TECS Platform 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.
2

DHS/CBP-005 Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), March 13, 2015, 80 FR 13407.
DHS/CBP-016 Nonimmigrant Information System, March 13, 2015, 80 FR 13398.
4
DHS/CBP-007 Border Crossing Information (BCI), January 25, 2016, 81 FR 404.
5
DHS/CBP-011 U.S. Customs and Border Protection TECS, December 19, 2008, 73 FR 77778.
6
DHS/CBP-013 Seized Assets and Case Tracking System, December 19, 2008, 73 FR 77764.
7
DHS/CBP-011 U.S. Customs and Border Protection TECS, December 19, 2008, 73 FR 77778.
3

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TECS Compliance Framework
In order to provide more transparency as it relates to the functions and data in TECS,
CBP published separate Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA) and Privacy Act System of Records
Notices (SORN) 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.
TECS privacy compliance documentation is divided into three categories:
1. TECS Primary and Secondary Inspections Process – CBP conducted a PIA in 2010 to
describe 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 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 United States. The
information collected pertaining to an individual’s travel forms the operational basis
for much of the TECS system and is discussed in more detail in the CBP Primary and
Secondary Processing PIA, 8 as well as in section 1.2 of this PIA.
2. TECS Platform – This PIA describes TECS Platform, which includes 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. The
TECS Platform, which houses many of these records and provides a portal to several
other systems and services to facilitate screening, vetting, and analysis activities for
CBP and external agency users.
3. TECS source systems – Covered by their own individual PIAs and SORNs, as noted
in the Appendices to this PIA.
TECS Platform
The TECS Platform is the underlying infrastructure designed to facilitate the maintenance
and sharing of law enforcement, inspection, intelligence-gathering, and operational records
among the TECS user community. TECS is also used by other agencies, known as Partner
Government Agencies (PGA), which are provided with access to TECS (for a full list of current
PGAs with access to TECS, please see Appendix 4). The TECS Platform serves as a mechanism
to query the databases of other law enforcement agencies, and serves as a centralized platform to
8

DHS/CBP/PIA-009, CBP Primary and Secondary Processing, and DHS/CBP/PIA-009(a), TECS System: CBP
Primary and Secondary Processing (TECS) National SAR Initiative, available at http://www.dhs.gov/privacy

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access CBP and other PGA records. TECS maintains records that are owned by CBP, and
records that are owned by external agencies. External partner agencies that input records into
TECS, without a Lookout record, are maintained by the external partner agency for purposes of
the Privacy Act of 1974. 9 Records maintained within TECS that are owned and maintained by
CBP include information about individuals who have violated, or are suspected of violating, a
law or regulation that is enforced or administered by CBP (to include Lookout records uploaded
by other agencies); to provide a record of inspections conducted at the border; to determine
admissibility into the United States; and to record information regarding individuals, vehicles,
cargo, firms, and organizations to whom the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/CBP has
issued detentions and warnings. TECS also retains records on individuals who have been given
access to the system for authorized purposes. TECS information is maintained in multiple
databases that have been integrated into a single information technology architecture – known as
the “TECS Platform” – in order to facilitate timely collection and comprehensive crossreferencing of datasets.
This Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA) reviews the framework in which TECS Platform
data is maintained, describes the data security and auditing mechanisms by which this data is
secured, and evaluates the methods by which data is shared or restricted among DHS/CBP and
the other international, national, federal, state, local, and tribal agencies and commercial
organizations. CBP has previously published separate PIAs to address the use of TECS as it
relates to the primary and secondary inspection processes 10 at ports of entry, as well as
procedures for processing travel documents at the border. 11
TECS Platform Access
The TECS Platform functions as a data repository through which users are able to access
different databases and perform functions and services according to their defined permissions.
Users access information via their online access profile, which is defined according to each
individual TECS user’s particular job roles and responsibilities, known as a “TECS Profile”; the
management of TECS profiles is discussed in detail in section 8.3. Accordingly, a “TECS user”
is someone from CBP (or other DHS component) or another law enforcement entity at the
federal or state level who has access to TECS. CBP and (when appropriate) the PGA assess
access according to the user’s responsibilities to enable the TECS user to access only information
within the scope of his or her professional responsibilities. TECS users must generally be U.S.
nationals. However, there is a limited exception for Foreign Service nationals who support
missions overseas, including those who support CBP attachés, U.S. Immigration and Customs
9

5 U.S.C. § 552a.
DHS/CBP/PIA-009, CBP Primary and Secondary Processing, and DHS/CBP/PIA-009(a), TECS System: CBP
Primary and Secondary Processing (TECS) National SAR Initiative, available at http://www.dhs.gov/privacy
11
DHS/CBP/PIA-004(e), Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) and DHS/CBP/PIA-007, Electronic System
of Travel Authorization (ESTA), available at http://www.dhs.gov/privacy
10

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Enforcement (ICE) foreign offices, or the U.S. Department of State (DOS). ICE provides access
to TECS data for local and tribal law enforcement agencies. 12
The TECS Platform contains datasets that, while being physically located within the
TECS IT architecture, are covered by different SORNs and PIAs, as mentioned above. A list of
the applicable PIAs and SORNs for each of these TECS subsystems, as well as an outline of their
functions is provided in Appendix 1.
The TECS Platform is also a mechanism for querying the databases of other law
enforcement agencies, and for hosting Lookout records input by other agencies for CBP to take
action at Primary or Secondary Inspection (see previously published 2010 PIA 13 for more
information on this process). For example, authorized users can use the TECS Platform to query
records maintained within the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Criminal Justice
Information Service’s (CJIS) National Crime Information Center (NCIC); Interstate
Identification Index (III); the International Justice & Public Safety Network (Nlets); and the
Nlets interface to Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC). 14 A full list of the systems
external to CBP that TECS users may query is available in Appendix 2.
1. Types of TECS Access Levels
With more than 90,000 users, TECS requires a sophisticated and configurable access
control process. CBP grants access to TECS based on four different access levels:
• Access Level 1: Data that is available to all TECS users with an appropriate type
of background investigation.
• Access Level 2: Data that is available only to employees of the agency that
entered the data. This level is no longer in use.
• Access Level 3: Data that is available to classes of users based on the owning
agency, specifying that the information be made available to a set of users.
• Access Level 4: Data that is restricted to specific individuals as specified, or the
individual creating the record (reserved for Grand Jury data).
For basic, Level 1 access, CBP requires that all TECS users must have a completed and
favorably adjudicated background investigation of one of the types listed below. Background
investigations must be periodically updated. The frequency at which reinvestigation is required
12

See DHS/ICE/PIA-004(a) - ICE Pattern Analysis and Information Collection (ICEPIC) Update (October 26,
2011), available at http://www.dhs.gov/privacy.
13
DHS/CBP/PIA-009, CBP Primary and Secondary Processing, and DHS/CBP/PIA-009(a), TECS System: CBP
Primary and Secondary Processing (TECS) National SAR Initiative, available at http://www.dhs.gov/privacy
14
Information on the NCIC is available at https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ncic. Information on Nlets is available
at http://www.nlets.org. The Privacy Impact Assessment for the Canadian Police Information Centre is available at
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/privacy-impact-assessment-canadian-police-information-centre.

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depends on the level of the initial investigation. Access to TECS functions and data will be
limited depending on the type of background investigation that has been completed. The initial
background investigation for all TECS users must be one of the following:
• Type 1: Access National Agency Check with Inquiries (ANACI), as defined by
Office of Personnel Management (OPM). 15 Users with this type of background
investigation may have access to any of the functions authorized for the user’s
agency, and access to data from TECS agencies when specifically granted this
access by the owning agency.
• Type 2: Background Investigation (BI), as defined by OPM. Users with this type
of background investigation may be given access to any of the functions and data
authorized for use by the agency.
External TECS user agencies are responsible for ensuring that none of their personnel
will serve as a TECS user without one of these types of completed background investigations.
Full TECS access requires a BI. All external TECS user agencies must conduct an annual review
of their TECS users to ensure that each user has a properly completed and active background
investigation.
2. User Functionality
All TECS users have the option of designating the data they enter into TECS as access
Level 1, 3, or 4, and specifying which TECS users may access this data. All TECS users, as part
of training and on-boarding agreements, understand and agree that any data designated as Level
1 will be accessible to all TECS users. Level 1 may be disseminated to other TECS agencies,
without prior notification to CBP.
All external TECS users must sign a Memoranda of Agreement (MOA) with CBP that
outlines their access levels and roles and responsibilities as a TECS user. A typical TECS
agreement includes the following provisions:
a) Data Access: External TECS users are typically granted access to the following
types of records:
1. TECS Level 1 records.
2. TECS Level 3 and 4 records owned by the external TECS agency itself, and
entered into TECS at the option of the external agency.
3. TECS Level 3 and 4 records owned by another TECS User Agency, with that
other owning agency’s authorization. This authorization will be documented
15

Per Office of Personnel Management and DHS/CBP Security Policy, reinvestigation is required every ten (10)
years for the ANACI and every five (5) years for the BI.

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by a memorandum from the owning agency to the CBP TECS Custodian of
Records, explicitly stating the class of records and access to be granted.
4. Primary Query History (PQH) records. These are records of the primary
queries made at ports of entry that can be used to identify individuals or
vehicles entering the country, and may include queries in support of Border
Patrol activities at checkpoints.
5. Images associated with accessible records.
6. Inspection Results Records: These records are the results of CBP secondary
inspections at ports of entry. They provide the disposition (e.g., admitted at B2
or adverse action) and short comments on the inspection.
7. I-94 Records: These records include the entry and exit information from I-94,
I-94W, and I-95 forms for most travelers other than U.S. citizens or lawful
permanent residents.
b) Access to Functions: TECS users are typically granted access to the following sets
of functions:
1. User Profile Record (UPR) Functions: These functions allow TECS users to
create, modify, retrieve, and display records describing users of the system.
2. Subject Record Creation and Update: These functions allow TECS users to
create, modify, and/or delete records on person, business, vehicle, vessel, and
aircraft subjects. All records created by external agencies that are not
considered Lookout records, are owned and maintained by the creating
external agency. DHS/CBP does not assert ownership, accuracy, or Privacy
Act coverage to these non-DHS and non-Lookout records.
3. Subject Query Functions: These functions allow TECS users to retrieve and
display records on person, business, vehicle, vessel, and aircraft subjects
based on query parameters. These functions also allow access to primary
query history (crossing information), inspection results, and I-94 data.
4. Record Linking: This function retrieves and displays records that are related
to records found during a subject query.
5. Management Information (MI) Reports: These functions allow TECS users to
request formatted reports for display or printing.
6. Printing: This function allows TECS users to print records or groups of
records retrieved through query functions or reports obtained through the MI
function.

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7. Primary Query History: This function provides on-line query and display, or
off-line reports, of historical information on primary queries performed at
ports of entry.
8. Batch Access for vetting purposes. External users are provided with access to
the TECS CBP-vetting web capability that allows for the submission of data
files to TECS for screening of persons of interest to the external agency. The
response data from this query will also be provided in a batch file format.
9. System Support: This function includes help, an on-line user guide, access to
edit tables, and a variety of other general functions.
10. Reference Library (RL) Function: This function includes an on-line user guide
for available TECS systems.
TECS is the repository for data from many separate agency sources. This data includes
sensitive law enforcement information. Each agency supplying data is considered to be the
owner of that data and is responsible for its content and validity.

Section 1.0 Authorities and Other Requirements
1.1

What specific legal authorities and/or agreements permit and
define the collection of information by the project in question?

While the authority for each specific database is described in the appropriate SORNs and
PIAs listed in Appendix 1, the data collected in TECS is generally authorized by CBP’s general
statutory authority, including the following statutes and regulations:

16

•

Homeland Security Act of 2002; 16

•

Tariff Act of 1930, as amended; 17

•

Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001; 18

•

Enhanced Border Security and Visa Reform Act of 2002; 19

•

Section 103(a)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) of 1952, as
amended; 20

Pub. L. 107-296, 116 Stat. 2135.

19 U.S.C. §§ 66, 1433, 1459, 1485, 1624, 2071.

18
Pub. L. 107-71, 115 Stat. 597.

19
Pub. L. 107-173, 116 Stat. 543.

20
8 U.S.C. § 1103(a)(1), to enforce and administer the immigration laws (as defined in section 101(a)(17) of the

INA) with respect to matters within the jurisdiction of CBP.

17

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•

Title 8 of the United States Code, Aliens and Nationality; 21

•

18 U.S.C. Chapter 27 (customs crimes); 22

•

Title 19 of the United States Code, Customs Duties; 23

•

Illegal Exportation of War Materials; 24

•

Search and Forfeiture of Monetary Instruments; 25

•

Passenger Manifests; 26 and

•

CBP regulations promulgated pursuant to Titles 8, Aliens and Nationality, and 19,
Customs Duties, of the Code of Federal Regulations. 27

1.2

What Privacy Act System of Records Notice(s) (SORN(s)) apply
to the information?

Data from the following CBP systems of records is maintained in the TECS Platform IT
architecture:
• DHS/CBP-005 Advance Passenger Information System (APIS): This SORN covers
the required advanced submission of passenger and crew information for certain air
and sea carriers and any other forms of passenger transportation, including rail, that is
(or may subsequently be) mandated or provided on a voluntary basis.
• DHS/CBP-007 Border Crossing Information (BCI): This system collects and reviews
border crossing information regarding persons entering and (if applicable) exiting the
United States.
• DHS/CBP-008 Non-Federal Entity Data Systems (NEDS): This system supports the
use and collection of certain travel documents, such as Enhanced Driver’s Licenses,
issued by other government authorities, such as states, Canadian provinces, or
Canadian territories.

21

8 U.S.C. §§ 1185, Travel control of citizens and aliens; 1221, Lists of aliens and citizen passengers arriving and

departing; 1225, Inspection by immigration officers; and 1357, Powers of immigration officers and employees.

22
Available at https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/part-I/chapter-27

23
19 U.S.C. §§ 482, Search of vehicles and persons; 507, Officers to make character known; assistance for officers;

1431, Manifests; 1461, Inspection of merchandise and baggage; Examination of baggage; 1499, Examination of

merchandise; 1581, Boarding vessels; 1582, Search of persons and baggage; regulations; 1595a, Forfeitures and

other penalties; and 1644a, Ports of Entry.

24
22 U.S.C. § 401.

25
31 U.S.C. § 5317.

26
49 U.S.C. § 44909.

27
Available at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2012-title8-vol1/pdf/CFR-2012-title8-vol1.pdf and

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/19/chapter-I

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• DHS/CBP-009 Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA): This web-based
application and screening system is used to determine whether certain aliens are
eligible to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program.
• DHS/CBP-011 U.S. Customs and Border Protection TECS: This system of records
consists of the enforcement, inspection, and intelligence records relevant to the antiterrorism and law enforcement mission of CBP and other federal agencies that use
TECS. The purpose of this system is to track individuals who have violated or are
suspected of violating a law or regulation that is enforced or administered by CBP, to
provide a record of any inspections conducted at the border by CBP, to determine
admissibility into the United States, and to record information regarding individuals,
firms, and organizations to whom DHS/CBP has issued detentions and warnings.
• DHS/CBP-013 Seized Assets and Case Tracking System: This system collects and
maintains seizure data and information about current, former, and suspected violators
of customs, immigration, agriculture, or other laws and regulations enforced and
administered by DHS/CBP.
• DHS/CBP-016 Nonimmigrant Information System (NIIS): This system maintains
arrival and departure information collected from foreign nationals entering and
departing the United States. on such forms as the I-94, I-94W, or through interviews
with CBP officers.
The information contained in TECS Platform datasets or sub-systems is detailed in
separate PIAs and SORNs. A comprehensive list of the systems that reside on, interface with,
and are accessed through the TECS Platform are listed in Appendices 2, 3, and 4.

1.3

Has a system security plan been completed for the information
system(s) supporting the project?

Yes. A system security plan has been completed for the TECS application as part of the
Certification and Accreditation (C&A) process 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 2014. Additionally, the TECS Modernization effort, a multiyear upgrade to the TECS system and functionality, received its initial C&A in December 2009,
with a new Authority to Operate (ATO) issued in December 2014. Both TECS and TECS
Modernization are included in the current Security Authorization Package.

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1.4

Does a records retention schedule approved by the National
Archives and Records Administration (NARA) exist?

The TECS Platform retains each subset of data according to the specific retention
schedule described in each subset’s SORN. As of the date of publication of this PIA, CBP is in
the process of obtaining approval from NARA for the current retention schedules that conform to
the associated SORNs.

1.5

If the information is covered by the Paperwork Reduction Act
(PRA), provide the OMB Control number and the agency number
for the collection. If there are multiple forms, include a list in an
appendix.

Most of the information maintained within the TECS Platform is covered by the
Paperwork Reduction Act, if it is not law enforcement-related. Information collections approved
by OMB are described in the subsystem SORNs and PIAs. Specific information collections
relevant to passenger information collections include:
1. OMB 1651-0088 – Passenger and Crew Manifest for Passenger Flights
2. OMB 1651-0103 – Passenger List/Crew List
3. OMB 1651-0107 – Application for Waiver of Passport or Visa
4. OMB 1651-0111 – Arrival and Departure Record

Section 2.0 Characterization of the Information
The following questions are intended to define the scope of the information requested and/or collected, as
well as reasons for its collection.

2.1

Identify the information the project collects, uses, disseminates, or
maintains.

The TECS Platform collects, uses, and disseminates information from CBP and PGA
systems as outlined in the Appendices to this PIA. The TECS Platform is comprised of several
modules designed to collect and maintain Lookout, Screening, Travel Document, Encounter,
User Profile, and Audit data from the source databases and subsystems, as described in the
Overview and covered in the PIAs and SORNs listed in Appendix 1. Generally, CBP collects
information on individuals prior to arrival (e.g.., APIS), at the time of crossing (e.g.., NIIS, BCI),
and throughout the inspection process of the international traveling public to document
enforcement encounters, actions, and observations (e.g.., when a traveler is referred to Secondary
Inspection (TECS: if law enforcement action is taken, SEACATS: if a seizure occurs)). The
collection of this information is described in detail in the TECS Primary and Secondary

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Processing PIA. 28 PGAs provide data, either for ingestion into TECS or through a query of the
source system, when the information is relevant to CBP’s missions. For example, Department of
State passport information is ingested into TECS so that a CBP Officer can quickly verify a
person’s identity and passport information.
Lookout Records Services
TECS Lookout Records Services provide access to create, maintain, or query Lookout
record information. A TECS Lookout record may be created by CBP, or other TECS partner
agencies. Lookout records are created based on law enforcement, anti-terrorism, travel document
fraud, or other interests (for example, if a traveler to a medical outbreak area posed a public
health threat). Such interests are based on previous violations of law, suspicion of violations, or a
business or occupation in which the law enforcement community has an interest. Lookout
records created by external agencies are considered under the control of CBP, with a nexus to
border security, because they are used by CBP Officers at primary and secondary inspection
processing at the ports of entry.
TECS Lookout Records Services provides authorized users with the ability to create a
Lookout Record and indicate whether the system should notify the record owner if the record is
queried by another user or displayed as part of an encounter. The notification provides the record
owner with the date, time, and location of query or encounter. A Lookout Record is limited to
providing only enough identifying information to correspond to a particular individual or
conveyance when queried, as well as an explanation of the reason for the Lookout. Authorized
users may further place the Lookout Record “on Primary,” which informs CBP officers at Ports
of Entry of what action (if any) is required to be taken when the subject of a Lookout Record is
encountered crossing the border. For example, the Lookout may indicate that a subject is armed
and dangerous, requires visa verification, or should be referred to secondary inspection for
further customs, immigration, or agriculture inspection by CBP Officers.
Screening Services
TECS Screening Services supports a number of system interfaces that enable authorized
users to query TECS Lookout Records, NCIC and Nlets, and encounter data (including crossing,
arrival, departure, secondary inspection, and air manifest information); users access this
information in support of screening, intelligence, and vetting activities. CBP’s collection of this
information is discussed in detail in the TECS System: CBP Primary and Secondary Processing
PIA. 29 In conjunction with Lookout Records Screening, the TECS Platform maintains external
interfaces with the DHS Watchlist Service (WLS), NCIC/Nlets, and customized vetting services.
28

DHS/CBP-013, Seized Assets and Case Tracking System, available at http://www.dhs.gov/privacy
DHS/CBP/PIA-009, CBP Primary and Secondary Processing, and DHS/CBP/PIA-009(a), TECS System: CBP
Primary and Secondary Processing (TECS) National SAR Initiative, available at http://www.dhs.gov/privacy
29

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Examples of vetting services include queries of border crossing history, Non-Immigrant
Information System (NIIS) information, etc. DHS WLS data is provided by the Terrorist
Screening Center (TSC) and shared with DHS and its components on a need-to-know basis, as
documented in the DHS/ALL/-027(b) DHS Watchlist Service PIA Update. 30 Additionally,
NCIC/Nlets service provides a real-time interface to the FBI CJIS, NCIC, NCIC III, Nlets, and
Nlets interface to CPIC.
Travel Document Services
CBP holds a repository of travel document records and associated border crossing
histories as part of the TECS Platform. Travel document records stored within the repository are
non-CBP travel-related records such as Department of State passports (including ePassports),
immigrant visas (IV), and non-immigrant visas (NIV); and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS) Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) cards and other travel documents.
Additionally, the Travel Document Services provides access to Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETC)
and Enhanced Drivers Licenses (EDL) that are queried by CBP at primary, but are not shared
with other agencies through the TECS Platform. This information is collected through system-to­
system interfaces, which are listed in Appendices 2 and 3. The specific data elements of these
travel documents are enumerated in the relevant Department of State, USCIS, and CBP
SORNs. 31
Encounter Data Services
Encounter data services provide access to information collected during a traveler’s
encounter with CBP while entering or exiting the United States. The TECS Primary and
Secondary Processing PIA 32 references “subject records” to describe information collection as
part of a traveler or vehicle encounter with CBP at either a port of entry or checkpoint. Encounter
Data includes Currency and Monetary Instruments Report (CMIR) data, border crossing history,
NIIS data, Memorandum of Information Received (MOIR) reports 33 and Secondary Inspection
reports. 34
30

DHS/ALL/PIA-027(b), DHS Watchlist (WLS) Update, available at http://www.dhs.gov/privacy
See Overseas Citizens Services Records-STATE-05 (May 02, 2008), Passport Records – STATE-26 (March 24,
2015), and Visa Records – STATE-39 (October 25, 2012), available at https://foia.state.gov/Learn/SORN.aspx. See
CBP/DHS-005, Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), DHS/CBP-016, Non-immigrant Information
System (NIIS), DHS/ICE-001, Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), DHS/USVISIT-001
Arrival and Departure Information System (ADIS), DHS/USCIS/ICE/CBP-001, Alien File, Index, and National File
Tracking System, all available at http://www.dhs.gov/privacy
32
DHS/CBP/PIA-009, CBP Primary and Secondary Processing, and DHS/CBP/PIA-009(a), TECS System: CBP
Primary and Secondary Processing (TECS) National SAR Initiative, available at http://www.dhs.gov/privacy
33
CBP officers and agents may use a free-form text field in TECS to document observations or interactions with an
individual at the border; these reports are known as Memoranda of Information Received (MOIRs).
34
DHS/CBP-007, Border Crossing Information (BCI) System of Records Notice, available at
http://www.dhs.gov/privacy
31

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TECS Security Services
TECS Security Services consists of three components: Internal Affairs and Background
Investigation Support; User Access Management; and Auditing. These components provide
built-in checks to ensure data residing on the Platform is accessed by only those who have a
need-to-know (a job function requiring access to the information) and designated authority to
receive the data accessed. The components also monitor TECS to ensure that users are not
inappropriately accessing or using their data.
User Profile and Maintenance Data
The TECS Platform maintains information specifically about TECS users and the actions
users take in the system. CBP collects information about the user as part of the application
process to obtain TECS access, including complete name (last name, first name, and middle
name or initial), Foreign Service National indicator, Social Security number, 35 badge number,
work and home addresses, telephone numbers, occupation, supervisor’s names, background
investigation status, security clearance level, and certifications (i.e., NCIC and TECS Privacy
Awareness certified). CBP maintains historical background investigation data on the TECS
Platform to verify user access. However, the current system of records for background
investigation information is the Integrated Security Management System (ISMS). 36 TECS access
rights are verified through ISMS to determine whether CBP employees and contractors have the
appropriate background investigation required for access to the TECS system. CBP shares user
profile data on the TECS Platform on a limited basis with auditors, internal affairs personnel, and
other individuals who have a need-to-know to perform their job functions.
Audit Data
Audit logging captures the activity of a user accessing TECS including user identifier,
date, time, and location of the access, as well as the type of activity performed. The system
captures all query requests and results, including search attempts for which the user is denied
access to the results. Logs are also maintained related to the creation of TECS records, including
TECS Lookout Records.

2.2

What are the sources of the information and how is the
information collected for the project?

The TECS Platform is a repository of data collected directly by CBP, datasets collected
by other DHS components, and data sourced from other federal, state, and international
government agency systems of records that resides on, or is accessed through, the TECS
35

CBP is transitioning away from the SSN-generated HashID for CBP users on modernized TECS. CBP is looking
into an alternate Federal ID for non-CBP users but for the time being, SSN is still used for authentication.
36
DHS/ALL/PIA-038 Integrated Security Management System, available at http://www.dhs.gov/privacy

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Platform. See Appendices 2 and 3 for a list of TECS interfaces. TECS also maintains limited
information on individuals who have been granted access to the system, as explained above.
DHS-collected Data
Traveler information in TECS is collected directly and indirectly from travelers while
entering and exiting the United States. Data collected directly from travelers includes border
crossing information obtained during CBP primary inspections, 37 documentation of a physical
inspection of a traveler or their baggage in an “incident log” as a part of secondary inspection or
as a result of a CBP enforcement action, such as a seizure of merchandise. Some of this
information consists of notes on information collected from electronic devices pursuant to a
border search. 38 CBP obtains travel document information in advance of a traveler’s arrival or
departure through APIS from air, land, and sea carriers. CBP also obtains travel document
information through Trusted Traveler programs. 39 Separately, as explained above in the
Encounter Data section, CBP Officers may record an interaction with a member of the public
when it is anticipated that information pertaining to that encounter may be of future value. This
is typically done in situations when a violation of the law is discovered in order to provide
context, and/or to establish or supplement a Lookout record. The CBP Office of Professional
Responsibility also uses the TECS Platform to track background information garnered from
background investigations. Since the development of DHS’s ISMS, the TECS Internal Affairs
background investigation feature is used by internal affairs for historical purposes and by Office
of Information Technology (OIT) to verify whether a user has the appropriate background
investigation required for systems access. TECS interfaces with other DHS systems, such as the
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Person Centric Query Service and Central
Index System. 40
TECS user information is collected directly from the user. Historical information in
TECS related to users’ background investigations were collected through CBP Office of
Professional Responsibility; the background information was gathered both directly from the
subject, as well as persons interviewed in the course of the background investigation. Training
and audit records are collected as part of an automated process on the TECS Platform.
Other Government Agency Data
The TECS Platform is not only a repository of enforcement, inspection, operational, and
37

As described in the BCI SORN, CBP maintains information for each instance of an individual’s entry into the

United States at official ports of entry including airports, land border crossings, or sea ports. Border crossing

information includes biographic and biometric information, photographs, information provided by commercial

carriers, and the time of the location of the border crossing.

38
DHS/CBP/PIA-008, Border Searches of Electronic Devices, available at http://www.dhs.gov/privacy.

39
DHS/CBP-002, Global Enrollment System, available at http://www.dhs.gov/privacy.
40
DHS/USCIS/PIA-010, Person Centric Query Service and DHS/USCIS/PIA-009, Central Index System, available

at http://www.dhs.gov/privacy.

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security records, but also an information-sharing platform through which the TECS user
community facilitates the processing of international travelers and checks for possible links to
terrorism or law enforcement violations. CBP enforces many different agencies’ laws at the
border. Thus, CBP affords other agencies access to TECS to view and enter data on the TECS
Platform consistent with each respective law enforcement agency’s legal authority to do so, and
in conformance with memoranda of understanding/agreement executed between CBP (or the
legacy U.S. Customs Service) and the PGA. Accordingly, the TECS Platform includes data from
other federal, state, local, tribal, and foreign law enforcement entities. This data is provided to
TECS via system-to-system interfaces and/or through online user input. Information collected by
CBP and other DHS components can be shared by, and supplemented with, other local, state,
national, foreign, and international law enforcement entities’ systems via system-to-system
interfaces. TECS also allows direct access to other major law enforcement systems, so that
authorized TECS users may query CJIS, NCIC, Nlets, and CPIC, and others in order to obtain
law enforcement information regarding persons of interest, including Lookouts.

2.3 Does the project use information from commercial sources or
publicly available data? If so, explain why and how this
information is used.
The TECS Platform receives advance passenger information from commercial carriers
pursuant to its statutory mandate. 41 TECS does not receive direct feeds of information from
commercial data aggregators, and it does not collect direct feeds from public news sources.
TECS users may incorporate publicly available information into narrative reports contained in
TECS (such as MOIRs) if the user determines that the information is relevant to the analysis or
action being performed. Such incorporation is the result of an action taken by a TECS user and is
not the result of an automated collection.

2.4

Discuss how accuracy of the data is ensured.

TECS users routinely compare newly collected data to existing records to ensure that the
information is accurate. For example, CBP Officers verify information received through APIS or
entered into a Lookout by comparing it to identification cards and answers to questions provided
by an individual at the border. CBP relies on the originating systems to have appropriate
processes in place to ensure the accuracy of the data being shared through TECS. When
discrepancies are discovered, CBP works with the source system owner to determine the accurate
version of the information and resolve any discrepancies.
41
The Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-71, 115 Stat. 597, and the Enhanced Border
Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002, Pub. L. 107-173, 116 Stat. 543, provide specific authority for the
mandatory collection of certain information on all passenger and crewmembers that arrive in, transit through, or
depart from the United States via private aircraft, commercial air, or vessel carrier (and in the case of air carrier
crew, overfly the United States).

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2.5

Privacy Impact Analysis: Related to Characterization of the
Information

In addition to the risks and mitigation described in previous TECS PIAs, the following
potential risks related to TECS Platform’s collection of data have been identified:
Privacy Risk: TECS aggregates data from many systems, including those belonging to
federal, state, local, tribal, and foreign law enforcement agencies, which may exceed the minimal
amount of data necessary to satisfy CBP mission responsibilities.
Mitigation: CBP maintains a large the amount of information in TECS from a variety of
agencies, and while this information is necessary to CBP’s mission at the border, this risk is
mitigated through the employ of access controls to ensure that users can only access information
relevant to their specific role. Different types of information from these agencies are required to
enforce the wide spectrum of laws enforced at the border. For example, federal and state criminal
violations may affect the admissibility of an alien or alert a CBP Officer to smuggling or other
customs violations. Passport, visa, ETC, and EDL information assists CBP Officers in
confirming the identity of the person seeking admission to the United States. Notes in narrative
reports from previous inspections or MOIRs help CBP identify past violations or, conversely,
rule out otherwise suspicious behavior. Moreover, access to the information in TECS is
controlled by both the mission responsibilities and the role of each TECS user. Information
provided to, or accessible by, PGAs is limited to those data sets that fall within their authorized
missions and are delineated in a TECS MOU/MOA.
Additionally, CBP is mitigating this risk by identifying datasets that should no longer be
maintained on the TECS Platform through TECS Modernization. Certain datasets currently
maintained on the TECS Platform as a result of legacy operations under the U.S. Customs
Service (including some ICE case management records; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms
and Explosives (ATF) records; and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) investigative records that are
inaccessible to CBP), are being migrated out of the TECS Platform to the owning agencies. CBP
is migrating these records off of the TECS Platform to ensure CBP only maintains the minimal
amount of information necessary to achieve its missions.
Privacy Risk: Because TECS contains a substantial amount and variety of Personally
Identifiable Information (PII) collected by multiple organizations and maintained across multiple
systems, there is a risk that users have access to more PII than is required to perform their
specific function.
Mitigation: This risk is partially mitigated through CBP’s securing of the data and the
provision of user access according to a set of permissions based on need-to-know and job
function. CBP has imposed strict controls to minimize the risk of compromising the information
that is being stored. CBP protects the data through uninterrupted monitoring in conformance to

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National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, to include encryption,
electronic firewalls, and physical location within secured facilities. CBP restricts access to these
areas to authorized users who have appropriate clearances and permissions, in the performance
of their official duties.

Section 3.0 Uses of the Information
The following questions require a clear description of the project’s use of information.

3.1

Describe how and why the project uses the information.

CBP’s mission includes the enforcement of the customs, immigration, and agriculture
laws and regulations of the United States and the enforcement at the border of hundreds of laws
on behalf of numerous federal agencies. TECS users collect, maintain, and share information
through the TECS Platform to facilitate counterterrorism, law enforcement, border security, and
inspection activities. CBP uses this data to assess the risk or threat posed by persons, goods, or
conveyances entering or exiting the country.
Law Enforcement and Counterterrorism
TECS users create records on the TECS Platform to document any customs, immigration,
or other law enforcement actions taken with respect to a subject, including goods and
conveyances, and to document encounters otherwise deemed to be of law enforcement or
counterterrorism interest. Certain authorized PGA TECS users create Lookout records to assist
CBP’s law enforcement and counterterrorism missions at the border by providing information
about known or suspected violators or terrorists. For example, certain users from the U.S.
Marshals Service enter Lookouts for fugitives into TECS so that a CBP Officer can apprehend
the individual at the border.
Authorized PGA TECS users also query individuals and review responsive records in
support of their mission. For example, certain authorized users from the FBI access TECS
Lookout records to identify individuals suspected of, or involved in, a violation of federal law.
Information-gathering and Assessment
In connection with the counterterrorism DHS Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative,
MOIRs may be reviewed by the CBP Office of Intelligence and the Office of Field Operations.
Those MOIRs that meet the necessary criteria for nomination into a Suspicious Activity Report
(SAR) are sent to the DHS Information Sharing Environment – Suspicious Activity Report (ISE­
SAR) server and further incorporated by DHS as National Security Information (NSI). A detailed
description of SARs is discussed in the TECS National SAR Initiative PIA. 42
42

DHS/CBP/PIA-009(a) TECS System: CBP Primary and Secondary Processing (TECS) National SAR Initiative,
available at www.dhs.gov/privacy.

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Benefits Determination
The TECS Platform assists CBP users in making admissibility determinations. Queries
are also performed by DHS and partner agencies to evaluate eligibility for their own benefits
determination (e.g.., USCIS benefit requests, Department of State visa issuance).
Audit Function
CBP uses audit logs to evaluate internal threats posed by trusted users of the TECS
community. CBP records and monitors TECS system use and there is no expectation of privacy
on the part of any user for any action taken in TECS. The CBP Office of Professional
Responsibility (OPR) uses audit logs during the internal investigative process to research claims
that TECS users have misused the system. Examples of misuse could include actions such as
browsing the system for personal use, or providing operational details to those who might seek
unauthorized access to the system or to do harm to CBP or the U.S. Government.
Employee Background Investigations
CBP/OPR queries the TECS Platform for law enforcement data as part of the background
investigation process for all applicants and current employees. OPR also uses the TECS platform
to suspend mainframe access for current CBP employees who are not in compliance with the
reinvestigation requirements. The Office of Information and Technology uses historical
background investigation data on the TECS Platform to verify that individuals requesting access
to CBP systems have a favorably adjudicated background investigation.

3.2 Does the project use technology to conduct electronic searches,
queries, or analyses in an electronic database to discover or locate
a predictive pattern or an anomaly? If so, state how DHS plans to
use such results.
No. The TECS Platform does not discover predictive patterns or anomalies. TECS only
conducts queries for responsive records.

3.3 Are there other DHS components with assigned roles and
responsibilities within the system?
Yes. Consistent with DHS regulations and the One DHS policy, 43 CBP shares the
information collected in TECS with personnel within all DHS components that have a need-to­
know the information, a job function requiring access to the information, and will access data
that is consistent with the component’s mission.

43

One DHS Policy, available at, http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/dhs_information_sharing_strategy.pdf.

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The objectives of sharing TECS data within the DHS community are: 1) to provide the
DHS enforcement community with a common repository of information related to suspected or
known violators of the law; 2) to provide the ability for timely communication of information
related to known or suspected criminals to CBP officers and other DHS employees, such as
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents; and, 3) to provide a common repository for the
routine recording of law enforcement activity, including inspection results and assets seized from
criminals as a result of law enforcement activities. In addition, TECS provides a repository
against which other DHS components can perform queries in support of their specific missions.
CBP and other DHS components are able to access TECS information to perform job
functions in conjunction with a need-to-know. A current list of DHS components with access to
TECS includes:
•

DHS Office of the Chief Security Officer (OCSO)

•

DHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG)

•

DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A)

•

DHS Office of Operations Coordination

•

National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD)

• Transportation Security Administration (TSA), including the Federal Air Marshal
Service (FAM)
•

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

•

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)

•

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

•

U.S. Secret Service (USSS)

A complete list of the TECS user community can be found in Appendices 2 and 4.

3.4

Privacy Impact Analysis: Related to the Uses of Information

Privacy Risk: Approximately 90,000 authorized users, including personnel from
government agencies outside of CBP and DHS access the TECS Platform for data entry,
communication, and data query. There is a risk that TECS could be accessed for unapproved or
inappropriate purposes such as searching for, or creating records or Lookouts for friends,
relatives, neighbors, the users themselves, or other members of the public.
Mitigation: This risk is mitigated through CBP’s employment of several layers of
training, review, and access controls. All prospective CBP employees and contractors are
required to undergo a background investigation before receiving access to TECS; a TECS

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account cannot be activated without a properly adjudicated background investigation or change
in background investigation status. Additionally, all users must pass an annual TECS Security
and Privacy Awareness course in order to establish and retain TECS access. Moreover, TECS
users are required to comply with TECS security requirements, including having a supervisor
approve a Lookout in order for it to remain on Primary (“on Primary” indicates that immediate
action is required by CBP officers if the travelers is encountered crossing the border) in TECS.
CBP OPR continuously monitors the use of TECS, including reviews of the extensive
audit logs that TECS maintains, which identifies the users that have accessed records, and what
changes or deletions (if any) were made to the records. DHS employees and contractors have no
privacy expectations associated with the use of any DHS network, system, or application and this
policy is also enforced for TECS. All use of the TECS Platform results in the creation of audit
trails designed to document an individual’s activity. These audit trails are reviewed in an effort to
identify inappropriate uses of the system and misuses of TECS information. All users
acknowledge their understanding that their activities within TECS will be monitored, and
provide consent to such monitoring each time they log onto the system.

Section 4.0 Notice
The following questions seek information about the project’s notice to the individual about the
information collected, the right to consent to uses of said information, and the right to decline to provide
information.

4.1

How does the project provide individuals notice prior to the
collection of information? If notice is not provided, explain why
not.

Some information in TECS is collected directly from individuals as they complete
primary (and secondary, if applicable) inspection at a port of entry. These individuals have direct
notice of the information they provide to the CBP Officers during the admissibility determination
process. Some of the information in TECS is collected directly from a suspect after a criminal or
administrative arrest. In such cases, the individual is advised in writing and orally of their right to
refuse to provide information pursuant to the Fifth Amendment.
With respect to information obtained from suspects or other individuals through
Government forms, such as immigration benefit applications, Privacy Act statements on those
forms provide notice to the individual that their information may be shared with law enforcement
entities.
With respect to Lookout records, or records created during the course of a law
enforcement investigation, it is not feasible to provide individuals who are interviewed as
suspects, witnesses, or victims with any form of written notice regarding the collection of

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information, nor is such written notice required by the Privacy Act or other federal laws or
policies. With the exception of authorized undercover operations, however, these individuals are
aware that they are being interviewed by a law enforcement officer and that their information is
being collected for use in an investigation.
More generally, CBP provides notice through the publication of this PIA, and TECS
source system PIAs, SORNs, and implementing regulations associated with individual programs
and subsystems that information collected may be shared with other programs and government
agencies. CBP also posts signage and video notices at the border explaining what information
will be required at Ports of Entry, and publishes this information online at www.cbp.gov.

4.2

What opportunities are available for individuals to consent to
uses, decline to provide information, or opt out of the project?

Generally, the decision of whether to travel to or from the United States is within the
discretion of the individual traveler. Pursuant to CBP’s authorities, any individual seeking to
enter the United States must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the CBP officer that the traveler is
a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or is otherwise eligible for admission to the United
States. When applicable, a traveler must also prove he or she is not attempting to import or
export any merchandise in violation of U.S. laws. Those unwilling to provide information
supporting these requirements can choose not to travel to the United States.
For Lookout or law enforcement records, due to the DHS law enforcement or
immigration purposes for which the information is collected, opportunities to decline may be
limited or nonexistent. Users may enter data during the course of a law enforcement activity or in
support of other DHS proceedings, and it is the nature of the proceeding and the individual rights
afforded to the subject by law that will determine the ability of a person to exercise the right to
decline to provide information.
There is no opportunity for individuals to decline to provide information that the TECS
Platform receives from PGAs via system-to-system interface. However, external agency
programs that initially collected the information from individuals may provide them with
opportunities to decline to provide their information to that specific program. Opportunities to
decline to provide information are enumerated in the program-specific PIA. However, once it has
been collected, the data may be shared with TECS as outlined in the collecting system’s SORN.

4.3

Privacy Impact Analysis: Related to Notice

Privacy Risk: There is a risk that an individual may not know that his or her information
is being maintained on the TECS Platform.
Mitigation: This risk is mitigated to the extent possible through the publication of this
PIA, as well as the publishing of PIAs and SORNs addressing the collection, notification, and

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individual control aspects of each subsystem on the TECS Platform. Each PIA describes the data
residing on the TECS Platform. With regard to CBP personnel and TECS users, notification that
their data resides on the TECS platform is provided on an annual basis when they take the
privacy awareness course.
There is a countervailing risk that arises when an individual is notified that information is
being collected about them by DHS for a law enforcement or intelligence purpose. The
notification may cause the individual to flee or destroy or conceal evidence required by DHS,
compromising the ability of DHS agencies to perform their missions, and could put DHS
personnel and resources at risk of injury, death, loss, or destruction. In such cases, DHS will
intentionally withhold notification to the individual until he or she is arrested or indicted.
Privacy Risk: There is a risk that individuals are not afforded notice or an opportunity to
consent to provide information for inclusion in a Lookout or law enforcement record.
Mitigation: This risk can only be partially mitigated. Because the data stored in TECS is
used in support of systems in which law enforcement or intelligence contexts apply, notice or the
opportunity to consent to use would compromise the ability of the agencies to perform their
missions and could put DHS and other law enforcement personnel at risk. Thus, notice of
collection and consent to specific uses are limited or not available in most cases for data stored in
the TECS However, the methods of providing direct notice as appropriate to an individual are
described in Section 6.1 above. There is a potential risk that an individual may not understand
the notice. When necessary, the notice to an arrested person is provided in his or her native
language through an interpreter or through written translation. There is a potential risk that false
or misleading information about an individual may be provided by a source with malicious
intent. This risk is mitigated by user training and standard operating procedures that emphasize
the importance of verifying information prior to recording and using it.

Section 5.0 Data Retention by the project
The following questions are intended to delineate clearly the use of information and the accuracy of the
data being used.

5.1

Explain how long and for what reason the information is retained.

TECS records are retained for the purposes and durations set out in the SORNs for the
various subsystem datasets that reside on the TECS Platform. For example, TECS Lookout
records are retained for 75 years from the date of the last collection of data; TECS user
information and training records are similarly retained for 75 years, while audit logs are

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maintained for 25 years. 44 Lookout records not collected by CBP but residing on the TECS
Platform are governed by the owning agency’s respective retention policy.
CBP also published SORNs for data collected by the agency that resides on the TECS
Platform, including APIS, 45 BCI, 46 NIIS, 47 and SEACATS. 48 Data on these platforms is retained
according to the records schedules published in the SORNs.
Datasets not collected by CBP but residing on the TECS Platform include the NonFederal Entity Data System (NEDS) 49 and the Department of State (DOS) American Citizen
Records Query (ACRQ) System. 50 Watchlist records received from the TSC that are included
within TECS as a match or possible match to TECS records are maintained for 75 years.
CBP and NARA are reviewing the record retention and disposition schedule for the
TECS databases and will update the appropriate SORNs upon completion.

5.2

Privacy Impact Analysis: Related to Retention

Privacy Risk: There is a risk that information may be retained on the TECS Platform
longer than is necessary.
Mitigation: This risk is mitigated through CBP’s application of data retention policies
for the TECS Platform that are consistent with CBP’s law enforcement and antiterrorism
44

DHS/CBP-011, U.S. Customs and Border Protection TECS System of Records Notice, available at
http://www.dhs.gov/privacy
45
Information collected in APIS is maintained for a maximum period of twelve months from the date of collection,
but may be used to create records in BCI, NIIS, or other systems with differing retention periods.
46
For U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPR), BCI will maintain travelers’ border crossing information
for fifteen years from the date that the traveler was admitted or paroled into the United States. For non-immigrant
aliens, to ensure that any information related to a particular border crossing is available for providing any applicable
benefits related to immigration or for other law enforcement purposes, the information will be maintained for
seventy-five (75) years from the date of admission/parole into the United States. However, for all travelers, BCI
records that are linked to active law enforcement activities, and/or investigations will remain accessible beyond the
limitations stated above for the life of that activity. See BCI SORN.
47
NIIS data is collected and maintained for seventy five (75) years from the date obtained for purposes of entry
screening, admissibility, and benefits determinations. See NIIS SORN.
48
Records related to a law enforcement action; that are linked to an alleged violation of law or regulation, or are
matches or suspected matches to enforcement activities, investigations, or cases (i.e., administrative penalty actions
or criminal prosecutions), will remain accessible until the conclusion of the law enforcement matter and any other
enforcement matters or related investigative, administrative, or judicial action to which it becomes associated plus
five years. Records associated with a law enforcement matter, when all applicable statutes of limitation have expired
prior to the conclusion of the matter, will be retained for two years following the expiration of the applicable statute
of limitations. See SEACATS SORN.
49
NEDS is retained for the duration of the validity of the travel document; that is, until the date of expiration on the
document or to the extent more restrictive, in accordance with the terms of any Memorandum of
Understanding/Agreement between DHS/CBP and the issuing authority. See Non-Federal Entity Data System.
50
Retention of records maintained in the DOS ACRQ will vary depending upon when the passport application was
received; these documents will be retired or destroyed in accordance with published NARA and DOS record
schedules (presently 100 years for electronic records). See ACRQ, 73 Fed. Reg. 1660 (Jan. 9, 2008).

Privacy Impact Assessment
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missions. Additionally, retention plans are tailored in each subsystem to the particular program
needs. TECS provides a systematic evaluation of Lookout Records on Primary to notify the
record owner that the “on Primary” designation is about to expire. If the record is not recertified,
the record no longer appears “on Primary.”
DHS has determined it needs to maintain TECS audit records for a period of 25 years to
support internal investigations of TECS misuse and internal threats.

Section 6.0 Information Sharing
The following questions are intended to describe the scope of the project information sharing external to
the Department. External sharing encompasses sharing with other federal, state and local governments, and private
sector entities.

6.1

Is information shared outside of DHS as part of the normal
agency operations? If so, identify the organization(s) and how the
information is accessed and how it is to be used.

Yes. CBP provides access to TECS information for agencies that have the authority to
receive TECS data and have demonstrated a justifiable need for this information. The TECS
program manager (in concurrence with all necessary DHS/CBP offices) provides authorization
for a non-DHS agency’s access to TECS via a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), or other
Information Sharing Access Agreement (ISAA), between DHS/CBP and the outside entity. The
MOA specifies the general terms and conditions that govern the use of the functionality or data,
including privacy-related limitations on use and re-dissemination, and the types of information in
TECS to which the agency is being granted access. An Interconnection Security Agreement
(ISA) governs any interface implemented between DHS/CBP and that outside entity. For log-in
access to TECS, third party agencies must not only identify their authority to receive this
information, but also specifically identify and certify an individual(s) that meets TECS employee
criteria. Appendices 2, 3, and 4 identify the entities with which CBP shares TECS data, describe
what type of TECS data is shared, and how it is shared. CBP has also published PIAs and
SORNs which describe the type of data residing on the TECS Platform. See Appendix 1.
In the absence of an MOA, TECS data may still be shared with federal, state, local, tribal,
and foreign law enforcement, counterterrorism, and border security agencies on a case-by-case
basis. In such instances, the requesting or receiving agency must provide a written explanation of
(or DHS/CBP must have reason to know) what information the receiving agency needs, how it
intends to use that information, and its authority to receive that data. Prior to disclosure,
DHS/CBP determines that the proposed use is consistent with a routine use published in the most
recent SORN or is otherwise subject to a condition of disclosure under the Privacy Act.
Access to TECS information is governed by need-to-know criteria, which demands that

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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 for which it will be employed are the
primary privacy-related concerns that are included in the MOA negotiated between DHS/CBP
and an agency seeking access to TECS.
Pursuant to the terms of the MOA, authorized PGAs access TECS Platform information
through system-to-system connections or as direct users of TECS. Alternatively, if the agency
seeking TECS information does not have an electronic interface with TECS, appropriate TECS
records may be transmitted pursuant to the terms of an MOA between CBP and the agency or on
a case-by-case basis, as discussed above.
Various PGAs and foreign governments connect to TECS for the purposes of law
enforcement, screening, and consideration of benefit. Appendix 2 identifies the PGAs and
foreign governments that presently have access to TECS and describes the type of data that is
being shared.

6.2

Describe how the external sharing noted in 6.1 is compatible with
the SORN noted in 1.2.

CBP shares data from the TECS Platform with entities external to DHS in accordance
with the Privacy Act exemptions and routine uses identified in the SORNs for the applicable
TECS Platform data systems listed in section 1.2. Those routine uses are compatible with the
purposes for which those records were collected.

6.3

Does the project place limitations on re-dissemination?

Yes. The use of TECS data outside of DHS is governed by the MOA, which places
express limitations on use of CBP data and conditions on re-dissemination, or authorized for
narrowly-tailored purposes on a case-by-case basis, as described in Section 6.1. Generally
information cannot be re-disseminated without the prior written authorization of CBP.
Additionally, agencies accessing information stored on the TECS Platform agree that
information not owned by that agency cannot be disclosed by that agency without the specific
approval of the agency or entity that owns the records.

6.4

Describe how the project maintains a record of any disclosures
outside of the Department.

The TECS Platform automatically generates a DHS Form 191, Privacy Act Disclosure
Record whenever a user views TECS Person Subject Records. Case-by-case disclosures are
recorded manually on the DHS Form 191 by the CBP or DHS employee making the disclosure.
The DHS Form 191 lists: the type of inquiry (written or oral); the name of the subject of the
record(s) being sought; the name of the individual, and the associated agency, seeking the

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record(s); the address of the requestor; the name of the individual retrieving and providing the
records to the requestor; the purpose for the disclosure; the name of the System of Records from
which these records are retrieved; a description, in general terms, of the nature of the records
provided; and the date of the disclosure. The individual/component maintains a copy of the DHS
Form 191 and provides the records to the requestor as well as by the CBP Privacy Office.

6.5

Privacy Impact Analysis: Related to Information Sharing

Privacy Risk: There is a risk that information may be shared under inappropriate
circumstances.
Mitigation: This risk is mitigated through CBP’s governance of access to datasets on the
TECS Platform by need-to-know criteria that demand the receiving entity demonstrate a missionrelated purpose for the data before access is granted. Access and use are limited by the initial and
ongoing authorization to receive the data, including the negotiation of MOAs between DHS/CBP
and the requesting agency. Additionally, to retain TECS access, all TECS users must comply
with the TECS security requirements, including successful completion of the TECS Security and
Privacy Awareness course on an annual basis. CBP requires PGAs to sign interconnection
security agreements before connecting to the TECS Platform to assists in guarding against errant
transmissions and misuse.
For all information sharing requests, DHS/CBP reviews the requests for individual
records, new user access, and bulk sharing. In the absence of an MOA, TECS data may still be
shared with federal, state, local, tribal, and foreign law enforcement, counterterrorism, and
border security agencies on a case-by-case basis, as approved by DHS/CBP. In such instances,
the requesting or receiving agency must provide a written explanation of (or DHS/CBP must
have reason to know) what information the receiving agency needs, how it intends to use that
information, and its authority to receive that data. Prior to disclosure, DHS/CBP determines that
the proposed use is consistent with a routine use published in the most recent SORN or is
otherwise subject to a condition of disclosure under the Privacy Act.

Section 7.0 Redress
The following questions seek information about processes in place for individuals who wish to seek redress
(access to records about them, accuracy of the information collected about them, and/or filing complaints).

7.1

What are the procedures that allow individuals to access their
information?

DHS has exempted the TECS system of records from access requirements pursuant to 5
U.S.C. § 552a(j) and (k). This is because access to the TECS records could inform a subject of an
actual or potential criminal, civil, or regulatory violation investigation or reveal investigative
interest on the part of DHS or another agency. This could enable the individual who is the

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subject of a record to impede the investigation, to tamper with witnesses, destroy or conceal
evidence, and flee to avoid detection or apprehension.
However, the SORNs for each subsystem governs the access to data in that system –
therefore, individuals may be able to access, correct, and amend records from APIS, BCI, or
other external agency information. Regardless of exemption, CBP will consider individual
requests to determine if information may be released. 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 them by filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or
Privacy Act request with CBP at https://foia.cbp.gov/palMain.aspx, or by mailing a request to the
CBP FOIA Headquarters Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, FOIA Division, 90 K
Street NE, 9th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20229. Fax Number: (202) 325-0230.

7.2

What procedures are in place to allow the subject individual to
correct inaccurate or erroneous information?

A person who believes that CBP actions are the result of incorrect or inaccurate
information may request information about their records pursuant to procedures provided by the
Freedom of Information Act and the access provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 by writing to:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Freedom of Information Act Division

90 K Street NE, 9th Floor

Washington, D.C. 20229

Travelers may also contact the DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (TRIP) at 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 to
identify the record(s) at issue.

7.3

How does the project notify individuals about the procedures for
correcting their information?

The TECS Platform does not provide individual notification of procedures for correcting
records from each system on the Platform. Instead, notification is set out in those systems’
individual SORNs and PIAs. For TECS records that are investigatory in nature, no individual
notification is currently provided.
Additionally, CBP Officers provide a Fact Sheet to individuals at ports of entry that
outlines the process for correcting data upon request. This fact sheet describes the details in
Section 7.2 of this PIA for individuals who believe mistakes in TECS may exist and desire
redress. Additionally, DHS Privacy Office published guidance specifically on identifying,

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processing, tracking, and reporting on requests for amendments to records submitted to DHS
under the Privacy Act. 51

7.4

Privacy Impact Analysis: Related to Redress

Privacy Risk: There is a risk that individuals may not know how to request redress
related to accessing their records, or with regard to an issue they may have experienced during
the customs and immigration inspection process.
Mitigation: To mitigate this risk, CBP has described redress procedures in this PIA as
well as the relevant system SORNs. CBP and DHS provide notice to the public of their redress
rights on their websites. In addition, as described above, CBP Officers provide a fact sheet to
individuals to provide additional information on the process for accessing and correcting records.
Privacy Risk: Due to the law enforcement nature of much of the information in TECS,
there is a risk that individuals will be unable to access, correct, or amend their records.
Mitigation: CBP determines all request for redress on a case-by-case basis. If an
individual is not satisfied with the response, he or she can appeal his or her case to the
appropriate authority provided for in the Privacy Act. There may also be specific legal remedies
available to the individual in the context of any criminal or immigration proceedings in which
the individual is involved.

Section 8.0 Auditing and Accountability
The following questions are intended to describe technical and policy based safeguards and
security measures.

8.1

How does the project ensure that the information is used in
accordance with stated practices in this PIA?

The TECS Platform employs a layered approach of checks and balances to ensure
information is used in accordance with intended uses stated in this PIA. First, to gain and
maintain access to information that resides on the TECS Platform, a user must have the
appropriate background investigation and have successfully passed the annual TECS Security
and Privacy Awareness course, as well as have a need to know and job-related requirement for
TECS information. An agency representative (CBP supervisor or agency National System
Control Officer) submits requests to CBP indicating an individual has a need-to-know for official
purposes. CBP verifies that background investigations, as well as security and privacy trainings
are complete, and issues a new user account upon an affirmative determination.

51

Privacy Policy Guidance Memorandum 2011-01, available at http://www.dhs.gov/privacy-policy-guidance.

Privacy Impact Assessment
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The ability to view information within TECS is dependent on both the User Profile
assigned to the TECS user, and the access control placed on the information in the database.
TECS users consist of CBP/PGA government employees and contractor personnel who are
granted only the privileges necessary for them to complete the tasks required as part of their
assigned duties. TECS users are generally required to be U.S. citizens who have successfully
completed, at a minimum, the appropriate background investigation and have successfully
passed the annual TECS Security and Privacy Awareness course, as well as have a need to know
TECS information. There are some limited instances where a non-U.S. citizen with a
successfully completed and adjudicated background investigation may be granted limited TECS
access, following DHS guidelines.

8.2

Describe what privacy training is provided to users either
generally or specifically relevant to the project.

A new TECS user must complete the TECS Security and Privacy Awareness course and
pass the associated test before CBP grants initial TECS access. The course presents Privacy Act
responsibilities and Agency policy regarding security, sharing, and safeguarding of official
information and PII on the TECS Platform. 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. This training is regularly updated and TECS users are required to take the
course annually.
TECS users are educated about the consequences of misuse of TECS records.
Inappropriate access to (or use of) TECS can subject a user to criminal and civil penalties, as
well as disciplinary actions in accordance with the CBP Code of Conduct to include being
removed from one’s position.

8.3

What procedures are in place to determine which users may
access the information and how does the project determine who
has access?

TECS users are classified into the following categories: general system users;
supervisors; system control officers; systems maintenance personnel; and security administrators.
General system users are those CBP and PGA users requiring access to the data stored in TECS.
Supervisors are individuals who are responsible for approving records that are added to the
system. System Control Officers are responsible for creating and maintaining user provisioning
lists. Systems maintenance personnel perform patch management, functionality changes, and
testing. Security Administrators are responsible for performing audit reviews.
Every new and existing user of TECS is assigned a system control officer. The system
control officer is responsible for the user’s profile record and assigns the role(s) (i.e., a CBP

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Officer) and the accessible service functions (i.e., Secondary Inspection) within that role. CBP
manages the assignment of system control officers so that the system control officer may assign
only functions that the system control officer 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. 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.
The TECS platform automatically generates audit logs that capture all users’ activity.
Audit logs are captured at the time of logon and throughout the user’s session. The audit logs
consist of a journal of the user’s data requests or queries into the TECS datasets, and contain the
user ID, date and time, and the location and activity performed, such as the query terms. These
audit logs allow system administrators to respond to “user activity” requests from the CBP
Office of Professional Responsibility to investigate abuse of the TECS Platform.
Users are required to have and maintain, at minimum, a background investigation status
and successfully complete the TECS Security and Privacy Awareness training annually to gain
and retain access and certification to information on the TECS Platform. Additionally, TECS
users with access to NCIC, Nlets, and the Nlets interface to the CPIC transaction via TECS must
be NCIC-certified by successfully completing NCIC testing and certification every two years.
The lack of a current certification trumps all other access and is not granted until recertification
is complete. Functions required to perform job duties are reinstated after a user completes the
recertification.
TECS users can also be assigned a specific transaction on an as-needed basis. A
transaction is a collection of capabilities that update, read, or report on data. TECS users must
possess both the authority to run the transaction and the authority to read or update the particular
record that transaction attempts to access. Typically, transactions are used for temporary
assignments and after the temporary assignment is completed, the user profile is reset in order to
remove any transaction that is no longer needed. Access through transactions is further limited
according to the specific authorization of each user. For example, two users may run the same
transaction specifying the same parameters and get two different results if their access
permissions differ. Additionally, a user’s ability to add a TECS record is limited entirely by the
user’s role.

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8.4

How does the project review and approve information sharing
agreements, MOUs, new uses of the information, new access to the
system by organizations within DHS and outside?

Long-standing procedures govern access to, or sharing of, information from the TECS
Platform. Information sharing agreements/arrangements are drafted by the CBP operational
stakeholders (Office of Field Operations, Office of Border Patrol, etc.) in consultation with the
Office of Information Technology program managers. Arrangements that involve PII are sent to
the CBP Privacy Officer for review and to DHS for final approval in accordance with procedures
developed by the DHS Information Sharing Governance Board.

Responsible Officials
Valerie Isbell

Executive Director, Passenger Systems Program Directorate

Office of Information and Technology

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(571) 468-3100
John Maulella, Director,

Traveler Entry Programs,

Office of Field Operations,

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(202) 344-2605
Debra L. Danisek

Acting CBP Privacy Officer

U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(202) 344-1610

Approval Signature
Original signed copy of file with the DHS Privacy Office.
_______________________________
Jonathan R. Cantor

Acting Chief Privacy Officer

Department of Homeland Security

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Appendix 1. TECS Data and Associated PIAs and SORNs

Sub-system or Interface

Privacy Act –
System of Records
Notice – Federal
Register

Most Recent Published
PIA, available at:
www.dhs.gov/privacy

General Comments

Sub-systems
ub-systems - Data that resides on the TECS Platform and is collected by CBP
Advance Passenger
Information System (APIS)

73 Fed. Reg. 68435
(Nov. 18, 2008)

DHS/CBP/PIA-001(f) ­
Advanced Passenger
Information System (APIS)
Update National
Counterterrorism Center
(NCTC)

Border Crossing Information
(BCI)

78 Fed. Reg. 31958
(May 28, 2013)

DHS/CBP/PIA-004(h) ­
Beyond the Border
Entry/Exit Program Phase
III

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

73 Fed. Reg. 77739

DHS/CBP/PIA-016 - U.S.
Customs and Border
Protection Form I-94
Automation.

Seized Asset and Case
Tracking System (SEACATS)

(Dec. 19, 2009)

73 Fed. Reg. 77764
(Dec. 19, 2008)

DHS/CBP/PIA-009 TECS
System: CBP Primary and
Secondary Processing

Data that resides on the TECS but is not collected by CBP
Interface with U.S. Department
of State: American Citizens
Record Query System (ACRQ)

73 Fed. Reg 1660
(Jan. 8, 2008)

See Passport Information
Electronic Records System
PIA (March 1, 2010),
available at
https://foia.state.gov/_docs/PI
A/PassportInfoElecRecordsS
ystems_PIERS.pdf

Passport and related
information provided for
border patrol, screening,
law enforcement,
counterterrorism, and
fraud prevention
activities.
ACRQ was formerly the
Passport Information
Electronic Records
System

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Sub-system or Interface

Privacy Act –
System of Records
Notice – Federal
Register

Interface with Non-Federal
Entity Data System (NEDS)

73 Fed. Reg. 43462
(July 25, 2008)

Most Recent Published
PIA, available at:
www.dhs.gov/privacy
DHS/CBP/PIA-004(e)
Procedures for Processing
Travel Documents at the
Border

General Comments
Certain States, Native
American Tribes,
Canadian Provinces and
Territories, and other
non-Federal
Governmental
Authorities provide
Enhanced Drivers
Licenses, Enhanced
Tribal Cards, and other
identification documents
acceptable for travel.

Interface with the DHS
Watchlist Service to the FBI
Terrorist Screening Center
(TSC) Terrorist Screening
Database

76 Fed. Reg. 39408
(July 6, 2011)

DHS/ALL/PIA-027(b)
Watchlist Service (WLS)
Update

In accordance with the
Watchlist Service PIA
(July 14, 2010), Watchlist
information for CBP is
maintained in TECS

Data that is accessible through TECS but does not reside on TECS
Nlets (formerly known as the
National Law Enforcement
Telecommunications System)

NO

DHS/CBP/PIA-009 TECS
System: CBP Primary and
Secondary Processing

No SORN because this
data is owned by the
states of the United
States, not subject to
Privacy Act

California Law Enforcement
Telecommunications System
(CLETS)

NO

DHS/CBP/PIA-009 TECS
System: CBP Primary and
Secondary Processing

See above

Canadian Police Information
Center (CPIC)

NO

DHS/CBP/PIA-009 TECS
System: CBP Primary and
Secondary Processing

No SORN because
foreign agencies are not
subject to Privacy Act

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Appendix 2. TECS Interfaces with Entities External to CBP

Government
Agency or
Commercial
Organization

Remote System Name or Use

TECS Data Type

TECS System-To-System Interfaces with Non-CBP Systems (Inbound)
Commercial
ARINC

Carrier APIS determinations

APIS

SITA

Carrier APIS determinations

APIS

Air Carriers

Carrier APIS determinations

APIS

Department of Defense (DoD)
DoD Personnel
Research Center
(PERSEREC)

Background checks

Encounter data

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement
(ICE)

Global Enterprise Manager (GEMS), Enforcement Alien
Removal Module (EARM), ICE Case Management
Modernization Program; Student and Exchange Visitor
Information System (SEVIS)

Screening, Lookout

U.S. Secret Service

N/A

Screening, Lookout

Transportation
Security
Administration (TSA)

Secure Flight, Terrorist Threat Assessment and
Credentialing (TTAC), Crew Vetting Program (CVP);
used by Office of Investigations (OI)

Lookout

United States Coast
Guard (USCG)

APIS determinations

APIS

U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services
(USCIS)

Central Index System (CIS), e-Verify, Alien
Documentation, Identification, and Telecommunications
System (ADIT), Person-Centric Query System (PCQS)

Travel Documents, Lookout,
TECS Screening,
Certificates of Eligibility

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Government
Agency or
Commercial
Organization

Remote System Name or Use

TECS Data Type

Department of Justice (DoJ)
Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives (ATF)

Used for firearms & firearm purchase, Lookout creation

TECS Screening, Lookout

Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA)

Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information System
(NADDIS)

Lookout

Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI)

International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL),
National Crime Information Center (NCIC) (person &
vehicle), NCIC Interstate Identification Index (III),
Terrorist Screening Center (TSC)

APIS, Encounter, TECS
Screening, Lookout

Department of Labor

Used for Labor Management Standards

Lookout

Department of State (DoS)
DoS (Visas)

Immigrant visa transmission from DoS

Travel Documents

DoS (Passport Office)

U.S. passport feed from DoS

Travel Documents

Bureau of Consular
Affairs and Office of
Diplomatic Security

Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS)

Lookout

Department of Treasury
Financial Crimes
Enforcement Network
(FinCEN)

Case Management Information System (CMIS)

Encounter

International Justice
and Public Safety
Network (Nlets)

Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) for Michigan, Nlets

Encounter, TECS Screening,
Travel Documents, Lookout

California Law
Enforcement
Telecommunications
System (CLETS)

CLETS

TECS Screening

Washington

EDL for Washington

Travel Documents

State & Local

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Government
Agency or
Commercial
Organization

Remote System Name or Use

TECS Data Type

New York

EDL for New York

Travel Documents

Vermont

EDL for Vermont

Travel Documents

Minnesota

EDL for Minnesota

Travel Documents

Pascua Yaqui Tribe

Enhanced Tribal Card

Travel Documents

Kootenai of Idaho

Enhanced Tribal Card

Travel Documents

Seneca Nation

Enhanced Tribal Card

Travel Documents

TECS System-to-System Interfaces with Non-CBP Systems (Outbound)
Commercial
ARINC

Carrier APIS determinations

APIS

SITA

Carrier APIS determinations

APIS

Air Carriers

Carrier APIS determinations

APIS

National Insurance
Crime Bureau (NICB)

Receipt of vehicle crossing

Encounter (vehicle crossing)

Department of Commerce (DoC)
Office of Tourism
Information (OTI)

Not Provided

Encounter

Department of Defense (DoD)
DoD PERSEREC

Background checks

Encounter

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
DHS Office of
Immigration Statistics
(OIS)

Not Provided

Encounter

ICE

Student and Exchange Visitor Information System
(SEVIS), GEMS, ICE Case Management Modernization

Travel Document, Screening

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Government
Agency or
Commercial
Organization

Remote System Name or Use

TECS Data Type

National Protection
and Programs
Directorate (NPPD)­
Office of Biometric
Identity Management

Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT)

APIS, Primary, Secondary,
Encounter, Travel Document

TSA

Secure Flight, TTAC, CVP, OI

APIS, Lookout

USCIS

e-Verify, Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlement
(SAVE), Computer Linked Application Information
Management System (CLAIMS), ADIT, PCQS

Travel Documents (ANumbers), Encounter, TECS
Screening

Department of Justice (DoJ)
ATF

Support for firearm purchase

TECS Screening

DEA

Use of license plate data

Primary

FBI

Used by Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force (FTTTF),
INTERPOL, NCIC (person & vehicle), III, & TSC

Encounter, TECS Screening,
APIS, Primary, Secondary,
Lookout

Department of State (DoS)
DoS (Passport Office)

U.S. passport feed

Travel documents

Bureau of Consular
Affairs and Office of
Diplomatic Security

CLASS

Lookout

Department of Treasury
FinCEN

Supports receipt of Currency & Monetary Instrument
Reporting (CMIR) data

Encounter

Other Government Agencies
Selective Service

not provided

Encounter

EDL for Michigan, Nlets

Primary, Secondary, TECS
Screening, Travel
Documents, Lookout

State & Local
Nlets

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Government
Agency or
Commercial
Organization

Remote System Name or Use

TECS Data Type

California

CLETS

TECS Screening

New York

EDL

Travel Documents

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Appendix 3. TECS Interfaces with CBP Systems

Remote System

TECS Data Type

TECS Interfaces with CBP Systems (Inbound)
ATS-P

APIS

ATS-P: Lookout Record Creation (Person)

TECS Screening

ATS-P,TF: Immigration Advisory Program (IAP)

Secondary

ATS- P,TF: Integrated Search Service (ISS)

TECS Screening

ATS-TF: Intelligence & Operations Framework System (IOFS)

TECS Screening

ATS-TF: Secured Integrated Government Mainframe Access (SIGMA)

Secondary

ATS-L (Vehicle and Person)

Primary, Secondary, Nlets

Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)

Lookout

TECS Interfaces with CBP Systems (Outbound)
Office of Field Operations TEC
Office of Field Operations Management Reporting

APIS, Primary, Secondary

ATS-P

APIS

ATS-P,TF: ISS

TECS Screening

ATS-TF: IOFS

TECS Screening

ATS-TF: SIGMA

Secondary

ATS-L (Vehicle & Person)

Primary, Secondary, Nlets

Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW)

Encounter

ACE

Lookout

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Appendix 4. Partner Government Agencies with Access to TECS

Agency

Sub-Agency

Federal Reserve Board

N/A

Office of the Director of National Intelligence

National Counterterrorism Center

Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Department of Commerce

Bureau of Industry and Security
DOD Office of Inspector General

Department of Defense
Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction
Department of Health and Human Services

Food and Drug Administration
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
Drug Enforcement Administration
DEA El Paso Intelligence Center
Interpol

Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
FBI Information Technology Centers
Office of Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section
U.S. Marshals Service
Department of Labor

Office of Labor Management Standards
Bureau of Consular Affairs

Department of State
Office of Diplomatic Security
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Financial Crime Enforcement Network (FinCEN)
IRS Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
Department of Treasury

Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Office of Foreign Assets Control
Office of Intelligence and Analysis
Special Inspector General for Troubled Asset Relief
Program

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Agency

Sub-Agency
IRS Criminal Investigations Division
Office of Inspector General

Social Security Administration

Office of Inspector General

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

N/A

Department of the Interior

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service