I think the whole point of the article is to showcase that maybe you don't NEED all this additional security. I purposefuly try to avoid going to the US because of the security and bureaucracy involved in crossing this border in the first place

In particular because the number one cause of illegal immigration in the US is visa overstaying. So how exactly are the passports or visas helping that case?

"Surely a combination of say retina + finger + voice etc would provide more security than could ever be needed..."

How would this data be held and who would see it or have access to it? The privacy implications would be enormous.

Ironically, many European countries already issue biometric passports that require you to provide your fingerprints before the passport is issued.

But maybe it doesn't really matter - you already provide so much of your personal details when you travel to another country.

>How would this data be held and who would see it or have access to it?

Same way as its currently held - by the various governments with (limited) agreements in place to to check each other's databases. Its not that big a leap to have a unified system in place I think. Or at least starting with the 1st world countries.

Not a fan of big government, but this is an area where I think streamlining things would help.

>European countries already issue biometric passports that require you to provide your fingerprints

Yeah got one of those. The fingerprints aren't actively used at borders though - just facial recognition.

Biometrics can be faked. And then what do you do? Get facial surgery?

Everything can be faked - a combination of various biometrics would be significantly harder to fake than the current systems in place.