Many travelers are just starting to experience the compounding drag of border modernization while waiting in line at passport control. These snaking delays are the result of a concerted web of technological ambition, security recalibration, and structural overhaul rather than a single agency or problem.
The Entry/Exit System (EES) in Europe was created to digitize border crossings by taking facial and fingerprint scans. However, the elegant promise has not lived up to expectations. Processing times have increased by as much as 70% at a number of major airports due to difficulties maintaining kiosk functionality. The rollout, which was supposed to be smooth, has instead sparked a chorus of complaints from both travelers and airport officials.
| Issue Category | Cause or Example |
|---|---|
| Migration Surges | Officer reassignments at high-volume entry points |
| Tech Integration | EES biometric rollout causing long wait times in EU airports |
| Infrastructure Projects | Canadian redevelopment at Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle until winter 2027 |
| Extra Security Checks | State-level inspections post-CBP clearance at U.S.–Mexico border |
| Policy Shifts | Expanded biometric scanning at North American crossings |
| Government Disruptions | Reduced staffing/overtime during U.S. shutdowns |
| Driver Navigation Errors | Wrong turns near Buffalo and Detroit bridges causing ICE detentions |
| Equipment Failures | Outages in Canadian primary inspection kiosks requiring manual screening |
In addition to being slow, the implementation is remarkably uneven. While some terminals still use stamps and simple document checks, others use biometric data inputs, but there aren’t enough officers with the necessary training to deal with issues. Even though there was a direct flight from the United States, one traveler in Frankfurt reported that it took almost four hours to leave the airport.
Those attempting to cross the Atlantic by land face distinct but equally concerning situations. Redevelopment of Canada’s Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle crossing, a vital route connecting Quebec and New York, will continue until 2027. Due to increased traffic from commercial haulers who were rerouted because of delays elsewhere, the result is a persistent bottleneck that has only gotten worse.
Increased inspections at Texas border bridges, meanwhile, are causing a lot of trouble. The state’s Department of Public Safety occasionally stops trucks that have been cleared by federal Customs and Border Protection (CBP) again for duplicate inspections. These additional measures, which are meant to increase security, are immobilizing supply chains that are essential to electronics, auto parts, and agriculture.
Similar to the EU’s recent strategy, Canadians traveling to the United States are subject to an increasing number of biometric scans. Travelers, who are frequently unaware that their fingerprints or photos are being kept at the border, are becoming more confused as a result of these changes, despite the fact that they are presented as improvements. A simple wrong turn has put multiple drivers in legal hot water in Buffalo.
Due to deceptive signage, dozens of drivers unintentionally entered Canada in 2025 alone. Upon returning to the United States, they were detained without a valid reason. I recall seeing video from the Peace Bridge exit where a researcher’s usual commute was interrupted by an ICE hold that lasted for a week. The consequences had drastically changed, but the signage had not.
The United States has experienced its fair share of technological difficulties. Border officers have frequently been forced to switch back to manual checks, which are much slower and more prone to human error, as a result of kiosk outages in Canadian airports. These breakdowns reveal an ironic fact: traditional paperwork is still the backup plan in the rush to automate.
Airport authorities in Europe are worried that raising the EES registration rate from 10% to 35% of visitors from third countries will make already-existing delays worse. They are not by themselves. A significant trade organization that represents travel agents in the United Kingdom, ABTA, has demanded that emergency plans be put in place right away to deal with airport congestion.
The European Commission maintains that the system is functioning “largely without issues,” pointing to member states surpassing their initial registration targets, in spite of these warnings. However, the feedback from officers on the ground presents a more mixed picture: overcrowded terminals, inconsistent staffing, and broken kiosks.
The delays on the border between the United States and Mexico affect much more than just passenger traffic. A new screwworm infestation in livestock from Tamaulipas is one of the biosecurity threats that Texas agriculture officials have recently warned about. Consequently, increased surveillance at ports of entry has put additional strain on staff and resources.
These border slowdowns, in contrast to weather delays or airline strikes, are frequently undetectable until they affect travelers. The systems that were meant to help us move more quickly have turned into a drag in and of themselves.
Travelers are being advised by authorities to plan for longer crossing times, check for updates often, and think about taking different routes. However, a truck driver watching their refrigerated cargo deteriorate in the sun or a traveler stuck in a three-hour passport line will not be greatly comforted by such advice.
There are no inherent problems with the switch to biometric identification. In fact, it could become remarkably effective at reducing fraud and easing flows once it has stabilized. However, the shift is being accelerated without adequate funding for public education, training, or staffing. It is comparable to paving a superhighway without exit ramps in the digital realm.
Governments and agencies must prioritize adaptability in addition to technology if they are to advance. This calls for backup plans, openness, and unambiguous traveler communication. No amount of digital scanning will be able to rebuild trust without it.
For the time being, the border continues to serve as a testing ground for patience, policies, and the paradox of innovation that slows you down before it speeds you up.
