The Department of Homeland Security is working on a program to collect genetic information and store it in an FBI database.
Collect information and keep it. The US government plans to collect DNA from all detained migrants after illegally entering the United States, officials of the Trump administration said Wednesday (October 2nd).
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is working on a program to collect the genetic information of these migrants and to register them in an FBI database called Codis, which lists millions of profiles of people arrested or convicted of offenses or crimes. This information could also be used by other law enforcement agencies.
DHS officials, speaking to journalists on condition of anonymity, argued that the policy would give border officials a better idea of the situation of detained migrants.
"Control of the population"
Collecting and storing DNA data from detained but not convicted people has drawn the wrath of civil rights organizations. "The purpose of DNA collection is moving from criminal investigation to population control, which is contrary to the basic notions of freedom and autonomy", so reacted the American Union for civil liberties (ACLU).
According to US officials, collecting DNA samples is actually required by Ministry of Justice regulations of 2006 and 2010 on people arrested and convicted, but who have never been implemented.
Earlier this year, border guards began to carry out less advanced DNA testing (Rapid DNA) on migrants who have crossed the border with their families, in order to verify the veracity of the kinship ties claimed by them.
But the planned program will allow him to retrieve much more complete information and keep it. "This is fundamentally different from fast DNA testing, said a second official. This is a much more complete DNA profile. "
For fiscal year 2018, more than 396,000 people were detained at the United States-Mexico border, with the vast majority coming from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.