U.S. Begins Collecting DNA Information From Detained Migrants
The U.S. government has launched a small-scale pilot program that collects DNA samples from detained migrants, and plans to dramatically expand its reach in the near future.
Beginning Monday, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin collecting DNA information from migrants who are detained near Detroit, as well as individuals detained at the Eagle Pass, Texas port of entry, which sits across the U.S.-Mexico border. The announcement was made by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the parent department of CBP, and is part of a 90-day pilot program.
The DHS directive calls on CBP agents to take saliva swabs of those detained at the Detroit and Eagle Pass locations, and then to send that DNA information to the FBI.
“During the 90-day pilot program, CBP will collect DNA samples from certain individuals held at both locations. For the U.S. Border Patrol, this will include individuals between the ages of 14-79 who are apprehended and processed within the Detroit Sector. For the Office of Field Operations [in southern Texas], this will include individuals who present at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry for consideration of admissibility and are subject to further detention or proceedings,” read a portion of the memo.
The DNA testing can apply to nearly anyone who has been detained by CBP, including foreign nationals, permanent residents, and U.S. citizens. Refusal to comply could lead to a misdemeanor criminal charge, and DNA will be collected indefinitely at a criminal database run by the FBI. (Read more from “U.S. Begins Collecting DNA Information From Detained Migrants” HERE)
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