GAO recommended that the US-VISIT program director develop a plan for a comprehensive exit capability, to include at least a description of the capability to be deployed, the cost of developing, deploying and operating the capability, identification of key stakeholders and their respective roles and responsibilities, key milestones, and measurable performance indicators.
It called on the program director to develop an analysis of costs, benefits, and risks for proposed exit solutions before large sums of money are committed, and use the analysis to select a solution.
DHS should also direct the appropriate parties involved in defining, managing, and coordinating relationships across the department’s border and immigration management programs to fully define the relationships between US-VISIT and other immigration and border management programs and to drive collaboration, the report said.
DHS agreed for the most part with the recommendations, saying it has already initiated actions to implement them.
It said it remains committed to deploying an air exit solution by December 2008 and has completed a cost-benefit analysis for air and sea exit implementation, something GAO said was important to be used in selecting the final exit solution to ensure it achieves the expected performance goals with the lowest life cycle costs and least risk.
DHS also stated that US-VISIT, along with appropriate parties, is developing and implementing an internal DHS governance board, which will include senior executives from programs such as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, and the Secure Border Initiative, and which will provide a forum for collaboration and communication about the program.
