Ours started in 2004 (but wasn't some friendly countries until 2007):

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9903E2D71231F935A35752C0A9629C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/fbi-to-store-arrivals-full-fingerprints/2007/01/07/1168104868074.html

We are not alone (there are other countries as well, I just picked one):

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/07/nheathrow107.xml

>I checked with others who had done the same trip or just entered America, they were all printed.
>
>>>Your rights aren't infringed, but we who are members of the "coalition of the willing" are being infringed.
>>>
>>>What brought this to my attention was when a friend was enroute to Canada and had to change planes at LA due to routing requirements of the airline, they were fingerprinted just for landing at LA airport and transferring to another plane, they had no intention of going to America.
>>
>>Not to doubt the veracity of the anecdote but I think that was hardly the norm. May be there was a particular person on that place who was a person of interest - perhaps to the Canadians.
>>
>>I have never heard of it happening otherwise and as far as I know it is not common practice for anyone arriving in the US. Can you point me to some announcement of a U.S. Immigrations service policy change? I would think it would just nearly logistically impossible if nothing else.
>>
>>
>>>
>>>>With fingerprinting? We don't have a problem. Our rights are not infringed upon by tourists having their prints taken before entry. Americans are not fingerprinted as a general rule (although I have been fingerprinted here in the U.S. numerous times and in other countries as well). Only outsiders are :o)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Hi,
>>>>> To use your own words used at the start of this thread "this represents and an archtypal example of the kind of repression that is ubiquitous in our society."
>>>>>
>>>>>BTW Have you noticed that the original link at the start of the thread no longer exists, more censorship ??. Wake up America you have a problem.
>>>>>
>>>>>>>Hi,
>>>>>>> It is a basic concept that many people have difficulty addressing, but then again, we are all treated equally these days, equally guilty.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>This sounds like adolescent angst <s> I would favor a more targeted approach but that is not politically correct.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Asking that your identification of yourself is accurate does not impinge on your rights. You do not have a god-given right to enter the US nor do i have one to enter Australia.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The fact is this, if I haven't done anything wrong I don't have to give the authorities anything, if you do something wrong you give up that right or is going to your country to visit a bad thing and warrants such action.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Try refusing to have whatever id number you have that is the equivalent of our social security number and is used to pay taxes.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> With present day technology, the passport can still do the job as it always has, and with current facial recognition systems that have been implemented they need no more.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Unfornately that isn't true. That would imply some degree of security in the countries that issue the passports. I don't know of any country - except maybe Israel - that makes that process as accurrate as they could, and security of the passport documents themselve is laughable.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>When you go through security check at the airport do you make a row that since you are not a terrorist they have no right to search you or look in your bags?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>This sounds more like whining about personal inconvenience (or the horrible feeling that someone can't tell just by looking at you what a nice person you are <g> ) that it does any serious thought about how to cope with the world we find ourselves living in.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Hi,
>>>>>>>>> All this sounds innocent until you get the wrong people in control i.e. a change of idealogy in government. Just ask some of people from eastern europe back 30-40 years ago, their views are totally different to yours as they have lived through it.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>As I said to John, it is just another step toward "Big Brother".
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>If you get the wrong people in control ( or for that matter ever give up too much 'control' to government ) you 've got bigger problems than that. Mao, Stalin, Pol Pot didn't need no steenkin' fingerprints.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Having fingerprints to correctly determine identity is not in itself any more intrusive than a photo id - just more accurate. You are in a lot more danger from people who would find that problematic than you are from your government - or ours - knowing who you really are. Would be a heck of thing to find out you were wanted in the US for blowing up a building based on 'your' passport wouldn't it?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>I wouldn't have a problem with it at all. My prints are probably already on file there, as well as the UK and another dozen countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. So what? I show a photo ID to get on an airplane - or for that matter to cash a check. And a passport is supposed to be a definite form of id. Unfortunately, passports and diplomatic pouches are a 'loophole' that terrorists and criminals have learned to exploit. Why do you think anybody cared when Mad Mike Hoare tried to take the Seychelles or there was a coup in Greneda?
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Unless you take the position a nation has no right to restrict access to crossing its borders, what kind of identification is required is just a detail.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>I think being able to identify someone accurately to be a protection. If someone enters Australia with a passport claiming to be me I'd be very pleased if a fingerprint, iris scan or DNA sample proved it wasn't.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Honest people can't imagine why some security measures are taken, but people with responsibility for that kind of stuff lay awake at night because they know just how big the holes are. In the late 90s I could have pointed you to people who could have provided a perfectly real Belgian passport for under $5k.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Violation of basic rights of freedom? Governments were very good at violating peoples freedom long before they knew about fingerprints. I sympathize with the cause, but IMO that isn't the place to draw the line.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>Hi,
>>>>>>>>>>> One other thing bothers me with the US, what would you think if, to be allowed into our country as a tourist you had to be fingerprinted at the point of entry. This currently is the case upon entry into the USA.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>It is a violation of basic rights of freedom.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>Your thoughts.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>I thank you for alerting us to this. As you know, under the repressive Bush/Cheney dictatorship the news is censored here and this kind of evidence of the Police State we live under doesn't get out. And even if it did, most Americans would be too stupid to realize that this news article is significant and represents and an archtypal example of the kind of repression that is ubiquitous in our society.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>If I can sneak out after curfew and avoid the helicopters and police dogs I hope to be able to make to the Canadian consulate to seek asylum in a more enlightened society where this kind of atrocity could never take place.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>Pray for me ...
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080209/ap_on_fe_st/odd_lousy_lawn