If the US gets the data anyway, why the need for access?
It's to validate that the fingerprints of the person arriving are the same as the fingerprints of the person who got the passport.
I would imagine it to match that the biometrics on file with the biometrics presented at the border to catch forgeries?
To reduce friction of traveling to the US obviously.
It's to validate that the fingerprints of the person arriving are the same as the fingerprints of the person who got the passport.