Date of Conferral

7-23-2026

Date of Award

July 2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Criminal Justice

Advisor

Joseph McMillan

Abstract

Homeland security agencies increasingly deploy biometric technologies, including facial recognition and fingerprint scanning, to enhance identity verification and threat detection at airports and borders. However, these technologies raise ethical concerns regarding privacy, algorithmic bias, data protection, and civil liberties. Limited research captures the perspectives of frontline professionals who implement these systems. This study explored how homeland security professionals perceive the balance between effectiveness and ethics. Guided by the technological determinism theory, semistructured interviews were conducted with 13 professionals from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Transportation Security Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Thematic analysis revealed four themes: effectiveness in enhancing accuracy and efficiency; ethical concerns regarding permanent biometric data and algorithmic bias; operational challenges, including system failures; and balancing security with civil liberties through governance, transparency, and human judgment. Findings indicated that professionals view biometrics as highly effective but insist that effectiveness must be accompanied by strong governance, transparent algorithm evaluation, and preservation of human judgment as the final arbiter in security decisions. Recommendations include strengthening transparency, establishing independent oversight, expanding officer training, and developing clear consent and data protection protocols. This study promotes positive social change by advocating for the ethical implementation of biometric technologies, informing policy reforms that mitigate privacy risks, reduce algorithmic biases, and ensure fair treatment across diverse populations.

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