League of Women Voters of Oregon Warns New Federal Data Mandates Could Threaten State Tourism

SALEM, OR — The League of Women Voters of Oregon has issued a formal response to the Department of Homeland Security regarding proposed changes to traveler data collection for Form I-94 and the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The League warns that new "blanket data disclosure requirements" for all foreign visitors could discourage travel to the state, potentially harming Oregon’s tourism-dependent economy. These concerns are rooted in the League's call for strong cybersecurity protections to ensure economic stability and to protect personal data.

Under the federal proposal, visitors would be required to submit an unprecedented amount of personal data through a mobile app using geolocation and near-field communication for sensitive biometrics, such as fingerprints, iris scans, and DNA. Required "high value data fields" include:

• Five years of social media history,

• Five years of personal and business phone numbers

• Ten years of both types of email addresses.

• Detailed family information—including parents, spouses, siblings, and children—for their birth dates and places, residences, and phone numbers. 

  
  

The League expressed significant concern that the proposal lacks clear standards or limits for how long this data will be retained. This omission poses risks to personal privacy and increases government administration costs for storing and protecting "big data". Further, the League emphasized that collection and use of personal information must remain consistent with its original purpose and should not cause harm to individuals.

The formal comment also highlights concerns regarding legal oversight and the potential for these data collection processes to be used for the surveillance of groups beyond international travelers. The League notes that biometric screening technologies are known to underperform with reduced reliability for non-Caucasian individuals, raising questions about the fairness and accuracy of the system.

Contact:

lwvor@lwvor.org

503-581-5722

League of Women Voters of Oregon