DHS Under Fire for Collecting DNA From Migrant Kids
▼ Summary
– Senator Ron Wyden is demanding explanations from DHS and DOJ about the large-scale collection of DNA from immigrants, including children, citing concerns over scope, legality, and oversight.
– Wyden criticized the Trump administration for expanding an opaque system, with over 133,000 migrant children’s DNA samples collected and stored in the FBI’s CODIS database without clear justification.
– Critics argue CODIS, designed for criminal suspects, is being misused by indefinitely storing genetic data from civil immigration detainees, including minors as young as 13.
– Over 70% of the DNA samples collected from minors come from four countries: Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, and Haiti, raising concerns about racial profiling and indefinite law enforcement scrutiny.
– Wyden has requested details on the legal authority, policies, and procedures governing DNA collection, emphasizing that the practice exceeds Congress’s original intent to address violent crime, not retain noncitizens’ DNA.
Senator Wyden Demands Answers on DHS DNA Collection from Migrant Children
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is facing scrutiny over its controversial practice of collecting DNA from migrants, including minors, and storing their genetic profiles in criminal databases. Senator Ron Wyden has called for transparency, pressing DHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to clarify the legal basis and oversight mechanisms behind this sweeping genetic surveillance program.
Recent disclosures reveal that DHS has gathered DNA from approximately 133,000 migrant children and teenagers, with records showing at least 227 were 13 years old or younger. The majority came from just four countries, Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, and Haiti. These profiles now reside in the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a database originally designed to track violent criminals, raising concerns about the indefinite retention of sensitive biometric data from civil detainees.
Wyden’s letters to DOJ and DHS officials highlight what he describes as a “chilling expansion” of government surveillance. He argues that Congress never authorized DNA collection for immigration enforcement, let alone the permanent storage of children’s genetic information. Once entered into CODIS, these profiles remain searchable indefinitely, effectively treating minors as potential suspects in future criminal investigations.
The scale of DNA harvesting has surged in recent years, with Georgetown Law’s Privacy and Technology Center reporting over 250,000 samples added to CODIS in just four months. Critics warn that the program marks a dangerous shift, turning a crime-solving tool into a mass repository of migrant DNA, one with minimal transparency or accountability.
Wyden has demanded answers on several fronts, including the legal justification for collecting minors’ DNA, policies governing data retention, and whether coercion was used to obtain samples. He also questioned whether DHS has safeguards to prevent misuse or unauthorized sharing of this sensitive information.
While the DOJ confirmed receipt of Wyden’s inquiry, neither agency has provided substantive responses. The lack of clarity fuels concerns that immigrants, including vulnerable children, are being subjected to unprecedented biometric surveillance without proper oversight. As the debate intensifies, advocates and lawmakers are calling for stricter limits on how, and from whom, the government collects DNA.
The controversy underscores broader questions about privacy rights and the ethical boundaries of law enforcement databases. With genetic data becoming an increasingly powerful tool, the stakes for migrant communities, and civil liberties, have never been higher.
(Source: Wired)
