GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR - GLOBAL PURSUIT OF TERRORIST

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASUNCION 001265

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR S/CT - FRED VOGEL AND CA - ALCY FELICK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2016
TAGS: KVPR PTER PREL PGOV PINR CVIS ASEC KHLS PA
SUBJECT: GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR - GLOBAL PURSUIT OF TERRORIST
INFORMATION EXCHANGE

REF: A. STATE 109771 AND PREVIOUS (NOTAL)

B. STATE 114021 (NOTAL)

C. ASUNCION 872

Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY CONSULAR CHIEF SHARON WEBER FOR
REASONS 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) ON DECEMBER 21, 2006, CONSUL MET WITH PARAGUAYAN
IMMIGRATION DIRECTOR, ARSENIO ORUE, WHO PROVIDED THE
FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO QUESTIONS IN REFTEL:


A. (SBU) IMMIGRATION DATABASES:

1) (SBU) WHAT COMPUTERIZED IMMIGRATION DATABASES ARE USED
TO TRACK ENTRIES AND EXITS? IS THE IMMIGRATION DATABASE
AVAILABLE AT ALL PORTS OF ENTRY (POES)? IF IMMIGRATION
DATABASES ARE AVAILABLE AT SOME POES, BUT NOT ALL, HOW DOES
THE HOST GOVERNMENT DECIDE WHICH POES WILL RECEIVE THE TOOL?

SOME TIME IN EARLY 2007, PARAGUAY WILL DEPLOY A BIOMETRIC
ENTRY/EXIT COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM THAT WAS DONATED BY THE SOUTH
KOREAN GOVERNMENT. IN DECEMBER 2006, THE DIRECTOR OF
IMMIGRATION HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE AND DEMONSTRATION OF THE
NEW BIOMETRIC SYSTEM AND EXPLAINED THAT DEPLOYMENT WILL TAKE
PLACE IN VARIOUS STAGES. EQUIPMENT WILL BE SIMULTANEOUSLY
DEPLOYED AT ASUNCION'S SILVIO PETTIROSSI AIRPORT, CIUDAD DEL
ESTE'S GUARANI AIRPORT, THE FRIENDSHIP BRIDGE (LAND BORDER
BETWEEN CIUDAD DEL ESTE AND FOZ DE IGUAQU, BRAZIL),
ENCARNACION AND PUERTO FALCON. THESE POES ARE THE MOST
HEAVILY TRAFFICKED. CURRENTLY THOUGH, A STAND-ALONE COMPUTER
IS STATIONED AT EACH POE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO RIVERINE
PORTS, TRES FRONTERAS, WHICH BORDERS ARGENTINA AND ITA EN
RAMADA WHICH IS LOCATED AT THE YACHT AND GOLF CLUB ON THE
OUTSKIRTS OF ASUNCION.

THERE IS NO CENTRALIZED IMMIGRATION DATABASE THAT ALLOWS
IMMIGRATION OFFICERS IN THE FIELD TO QUERY ALL IMMIGRATION
RECORDS AT THIS TIME. EACH STAND-ALONE COMPUTER HOLDS
INDEPENDENT RECORDS FOR THAT POE. RECORDS FROM POES ARE ALL
FORWARDED TO IMMIGRATION HEADQUARTERS AND ENTERED INTO THEIR
DATABASE WHICH CAN BE QUERIED BUT DOES NOT HOLD REAL TIME
RECORDS. THE NEW BIOMETRIC SYSTEM WILL ALLOW EACH POE ACCESS
TO REAL TIME IMMIGRATION RECORDS AND WILL QUERY THE
CENTRALIZED DATABASE WHICH WILL BE LOCATED IN ASUNCION.
CURRENTLY, IMMIGRATION ENTRY/EXIT RECORDS FROM 2003 TO DATE
ARE AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY. RECORDS FROM 1985 TO 2003 ARE
PROJECTED TO BE DATA ENTERED IN THE FUTURE.

2) (SBU) WHAT PROBLEMS, IF ANY, LIMIT THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF THE SYSTEMS? FOR EXAMPLE, LIMITED TRAINING, POWER
BROWNOUTS, BUDGETARY RESTRAINTS, CORRUPTION, ETC.?

IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS CAN BE EASILY BRIBED.
NON-CONNECTIVITY TO A CENTRALIZED DATABASE AND LACK OF
FUNDING TO UPGRADE IMMIGRATION SYSTEMS LIMIT THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF CHECKS AT POES. THE NEW BIOMETRIC
ENTRY/EXIT SYSTEM WILL ALLOW IMMIGRATION OFFICERS REAL TIME
ACCESSTO IMMIGRATION ENTRY AND EXIT RECORDS AND JUDICIAL
ORDERS FORWARDED TO IMMIGRATION REGARDING DEPARTURE
RESTRICTIONS. LAW ENFORCEMENT, INTERPOL AND OTHER JUDICIAL
RECORDS MAY BE INCORPORATED IN THE FUTURE. DISCUSSIONS
AMONG VARIOUS ENTITIES OF THE GOP FOR DATA SHARING IS IN
PROCESS.

3) (SBU) HOW OFTEN ARE NATIONAL IMMIGRATION DATABASES
UPDATED?

DAILY UPDATES:

SILVIO PETTIROSSI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN ASUNCION
GUARANI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN CIUDAD DEL ESTE
FALCON
ENCARNACION

POES THAT ARE CLOSER TO ASUNCION ARE UPDATED WEEKLY BY FAXING
THE RECORDS TO HEADQUARTERS AND ALSO FORWARDING THE
INFORMATION ON HARD DISK. POES IN THE FAR CORNERS OF
PARAGUAY ARE UPDATED EVERY FIFTEEN DAYS BY THE SAME METHOD.

THE NEW BIOMETRIC SYSTEM WILL AFFORD REAL TIME UPDATES AT ALL
POES.


B. (SBU) WATCHLIST AND INFORMATION SHARING:

1) (SBU) IS THERE A NAME-BASED WATCHLIST SYSTEM USED TO
SCREEN TRAVELERS AT POES?

THE WATCHLIST SYSTEM CONSISTS OF INFORMATION FORWARDED TO
IMMIGRATION BY THE GOP'S JUDICIAL BRANCH. UPON RECEIPT OF A
JUDICIAL ORDER AT HEADQUARTERS, THE RESPONSIBLE IMMIGRATION
OFFICE THEN FAXES THE ORDER TO ALL POES AND THIS DATA IS

ENTERED INTO EACH STAND-ALONE COMPUTER. WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF SILVIO PETTIROSSI AIRPORT, GUARANI AIRPORT AND ENCARNACION
LAND BORDER, RECORDS ARE NOT IMMEDIATELY ENTERED AND
TRAVELERS ARE NOT SCREENED AGAINST THEIR DATABASE UNTIL THE
TRAVELER HAS ALREADY ENTERED OR DEPARTED PARAGUAY. ONCE
IMPLEMENTED, THE NEW SYSTEM WILL ALLOW IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS
AT ALL POES ACCESS TO CURRENT RECORDS IN IMMIGRATION'S
DATABASE, WHICH INCLUDE TRAVELERS WATCHLISTED BY THE GOP'S
JUDICIAL BRANCH. INTERPOL AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT
WATCHLISTS MAY BE AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE.

2) (SBU) WHAT DOMESTIC SOURCES OF INFORMATION POPULATE THE
NAME-BASED WATCHLIST, I.E. NAMES OF DEPORTED PERSONS,
TERRORIST LOOKOUTS, CRIMINAL WANTS/WARRANTS?

THE ONLY INFORMATION THAT IS ON THE WATCHLIST ARE THOSE
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE OR HAVE BEEN PROCESSED FOR CRIMES IN
PARAGUAY OR HAVE DEPARTURE RESTRICTIONS PLACED BY THE COURT.
THIS INFORMATION IS DERIVED FROM CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED BY
THE JUDICIAL BRANCH.

3) (SBU) WHAT INTERNATIONAL WATCHLISTS DO HOST COUNTRIES
USE FOR SCREENING INDIVIDUALS? SUCH AS INTERPOL OR TSA NO
FLY LISTS, UN, ETC.

IMMIGRATION DOES NOT HAVE CONNECTIVITY TO INTERPOL OR ANY
OTHER INTERNATIONAL WATCHLIST DATABASES. ACCORDING TO GOP'S
IMMIGRATION DIRECTOR, IMMIGRATION OFFICERS MAINTAIN A GOOD
WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH AIRLINE PERSONNEL AND CLAIM THEY
ARE ABLE TO OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM AIRLINE DATABASES WHEN
NEEDED, HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT A REGULAR PRACTICE.

4) (SBU) WHAT BILATERAL/MULTILATERAL WATCHLIST AGREEMENTS
EXIST BETWEEN HOST GOVERNMENT AND ITS NEIGHBORS?

NONE


C. (SBU) BIOMETRICS

1) (SBU) ARE BIOMETRIC SYSTEMS IN PLACE AT PORTS OF ENTRY
(AIR, LAND, SEA)? IF NO, DOES EACH COUNTRY HAVE PLANS TO
INSTALL SUCH A SYSTEM?

NO. THE SOUTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT DONATED A COMPUTERIZED
ENTRY/EXIT IMMIGRATION SYSTEM WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO BE
DEPLOYED IN EARLY 2007. THE SYSTEM WILL ALLOW BIOMETRIC
FINGERPRINTING FOR BOTH ENTRY AND EXIT.

2) (SBU) WHAT BIOMETRIC TECHNOLOGIES, IF ANY, DO THE
COUNTRIES USE, I.E. FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION, FACIAL
RECOGNITION, IRIS RECOGNITION, HAND GEOMETRY, RETINAL
IDENTIFICATION, DNA-BASED IDENTIFICATION, KEYSTROKE DYNAMICS,
GAIT ANALYSIS? ARE THE SYSTEMS ICAO COMPLIANT?

NO BIOMETRICS ARE CURRENTLY IN USE. THE NEW KOREAN-DONATED
EXIT AND ENTRY SYSTEM WILL ALLOW FOR BIOMETRIC
FINGERPRINTING. INSTALLATION OF THE EXIT AND ENTRY SYSTEM IS
EXPECTED TO HAVE INITIAL ACCESS TO ONLY THE IMMIGRATION DATA
BASE. THERE ARE FUTURE PLANS FOR THE SYSTEM TO HAVE
CONNECTIVITY TO QUERY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER PARAGUAYAN
GOVERNMENTAL DATA BASES, SIMILAR TO U.S. VISIT. BUDGETARY
RESTRAINTS MAY DETER HIS PLAN. THE KOREAN DONATED BIOMETRIC
SYSTEM IS ICAO COMPLIANT.

3) (SBU) DO THE HOST COUNTRIES ISSUE A MACHINE-READABLE
PASSPORT CONTAINING BIOMETRIC INFORMATION? IF SO, WHAT
BIOMETRIC INFORMATION IS INCLUDED ON THE DOCUMENT, I.E.
FINGERPRINT, IRIS, FACIAL RECOGNITION, ETC? IF NOT, DO THEY
PLAN TO ISSUE A BIOMETRIC DOCUMENT IN THE FUTURE? WHEN?

PARAGUAY DOES NOT ISSUE MACHINE READABLE PASSPORTS AT THIS
TIME. ACCORDING TO THE (NOW FORMER) DIRECTOR OF THE PASSPORT
OFFICE, PARAGUAY PLANS TO BEGIN ISSUING PHOTO DIGITIZED
PASSPORTS SOME TIME IN MID 2007.


D. (C) IDENTIFYING APPROPRIATE PARTNERS:

1) (C) AT THIS TIME, POST DOES NOT SUPPORT SHARING U.S. DATA
WITH THE OFFICE OF PARAGUAYAN IMMIGRATION. THEY DO NOT HAVE
THE CAPABILITY TO DATE ENTER AND/OR UTILIZE THIS INFORMATION.
PERHAPS IN THE FUTURE ONCE THE BIOMETRIC ENTRY/EXIT SYSTEM
IS UP AND RUNNING, U.S. WATCHLIST AND/OR OTHER DATA SHARING
MAY BE POSSIBLE. ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION,
HE WELCOMES ANY AND ALL WATCHLIST INFORMATION, TO INCLUDE
POLITICAL DISSIDENTS THAT THE USG MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE. IF
THE USG DOES ENTER INTO DATA SHARING WITH PARAGUAYAN
IMMIGRATION, THE DIRECTOR ASSURED CONS CHIEF THAT ALL
INFORMATION WOULD BE PROTECTED AND ONLY AVAILABLE TO
APPROPRIATE IMMIGRATION PERSONNEL IN REGARD TO OFFICIAL
IMMIGRATION FUNCTIONS AND PURPOSES. POST SHARES GOOD
RELATIONS WITH THE OFFICE OF IMMIGRATION AND THEY REGULARLY

PROVIDE INFORMATION FROM THEIR DATA BASE FOR CONSULAR AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT RELATED QUERIES. THE IMMIGRATION DIRECTOR TOLD
CONS CHIEF THAT HIS OFFICE WOULD BE WILLING TO PROVIDE
ADVANCE INFORMATION TO U.S. POES, IF REQUESTED, ON TRAVELERS
DESTINED FOR THE U.S.
CASON