of sufficient quality the screen then turns on the camera and prompts the user to snap a photograph of the individual after the picture is taken the user is returned to the entry screen for entry of non biometric data referred to herein as u201c biodata u201d the user then enters the alien 39 s name birth date age and any other information that can be obtained the workstation associates all u201c biodata u201d with the current biometric data and with the current request upon completion of the biodata screen a submit button is pressed the submit button initiates the sending of data to the databases stored in the computer of the workstation a key feature of the invention is that the data needed to perform the searches is provided at all of the workstations and updated periodically over a widely available communications link such as the public switched telephone network pstn land based cellular telephone infrastructure or satellite based communications the workstation 39 s computer begins processing the input data freeing the workstation to begin enrolling another individual a status indicator on the bottom of the workstation screen indicates the status of a particular transaction the workstation computer searches a number of databases each of which has its own meaning the databases are referred to generally as u201c lookout u201d u201c recidivists u201d u201c asylum u201d and u201c benefits u201d the.