WASHINGTON - The federal government wants U.S. residents with green cards, parolees and some Canadians to have their fingerprints checked every time they re-enter the U.S. by air or sea.

The new security checks announced Thursday by the Department of Homeland Security are part of the so-called US-VISIT program, which requires border-crossing documents to include a digital photograph and two fingerprints. The program, which currently has 61 million people enrolled from countries except Canada and Mexico, is being slowly phased in.

"We have a lot more steps along the way," said Bob Mocny, acting director of the US-VISIT program.

Mocny estimates that the new requirement would add 1 million to 1.5 million enrollees. The public may comment on the program until Aug. 28.

The purpose of the program is to screen out criminals and make sure that travel documents aren't forged.

Under US-VISIT, the U.S. government has caught 1,100 criminals at ports of entry, Mocny said.

There are between 8 million and 12 million legal permanent residents — or green-card holders — in the United States. But only a fraction of them travel outside of the country, Mocny said.