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U.S. Immigration Officials Implement Child DNA into Criminal Records Database

Expanded disclosures shed light on the expansive biometric monitoring carried out by the U.S. on immigrants.

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Expanded understanding unveiled concerning the scale of biometric monitoring of immigrants by the...
Expanded understanding unveiled concerning the scale of biometric monitoring of immigrants by the U.S.

U.S. Immigration Officials Implement Child DNA into Criminal Records Database

Detaining Children's DNA: A Controversial Addition to U.S. Databases

It's an unsettling reality that a series of ice-cold concrete cells now house not only the incarcerated but also innocents, the tender-aged children who fall within these icy walls. These detention centers harbor a swiftly growing number of young souls seemingly without cause, for their DNA has been sent to the vast, impersonal FBI database known as CODIS.

In less than five tumultuous years, the United States has amassed over 130,000 DNA profiles from these young detainees, with the tender ages of four barely escaping the agency's reach.

CODIS' Explosive GrowthCBP has been contributing more and more to CODIS, under the watchful eye of the Federal Bureau of Investigations. This system contains DNA profiles derived from convicted offenders, crime scenes, and missing persons cases for local, state, and federal law enforcement. The federal government stores the actual, physical DNA samples indefinitely, making CODIS a colossal treasure trove of genetic material. With an impressive count of 23 million DNA profiles, a considerable fraction, 133,539, belongs to subdued minors, as revealed by Wired's investigative review.

The Times They Are A-ChangingThe switch came in 2020 with updated regulations from the Department of Justice, removing the Department of Homeland Security's exemptions. Following these amendments, the CBP launched a pilot program to intensify DNA collection from those in their custody. Initially, the plan targeted individuals aged 14 to 19, but according to Wired, officers have shown startling familiarity with the leeway provided by the policy, secretly obtaining DNA from as many as 227 younger children. The youngest? A 4-year old sent to El Paso, Texas, for processing.

Hilton Beckham, assistant commissioner of public affairs at CBP, asserts this move is necessary for securing borders and stopping human smugglers, child sex traffickers, and other criminals from infiltrating American communities. However, the director of research and advocacy at Georgetown University's Center on Privacy and Technology, Stephanie Glaberson, demands that this revelation is an absurd affront to privacy and an egregious violation of ethics.

Rolling the DiceCBP collected DNA samples from between 829,000 and 2.8 million people between October 2020 and the end of 2024. Officers in Laredo, Texas, submitted as many as 3,930 DNA samples to the FBI, with 252 of them being listed as 17 or younger. This staggering figure was accumulated on a single day in January 2024. CBP now faces heavy criticism for their invasive tactics, as many argue that genetic information serves no purpose in immigration enforcement and is a grave threat to privacy.

Fear of a surveillance state looms as the CODIS database continues to swell with sensitive data, raising concerns about its use in criminal investigations, deportations, and the senseless persecution of families seeking refuge. The lack of legal safeguards, oversight, and procedural protections highlights a pressing issue for civil liberties advocates, who see this trend as a significant step towards a chilling future of genetic surveillance.

Sources:1. Wired2. California Law Review3. Gizmodo4. Georgetown University's Center on Privacy and Technology. (2022). DNA from DHS: Genetic Surveillance at the Border: A Report from the Center on Privacy & Technology at Georgetown Law.5. The Center for Migration Studies of New York. (2020). Minors and Families in Immigration Detention.

  1. The CODIS database, initially intended for crime scenes, convicted offenders, and missing persons, now contains DNA profiles from subdued minors, amounting to 133,539 out of a total of 23 million profiles.
  2. The growth in CBP's contributions to CODIS has raised concerns about the role of technology and AI in privacy issues, particularly in the context of health-and-wellness, mental-health, and policy-and-legislation, as these DNA profiles could potentially be used beyond immigration enforcement.
  3. The policy-and-legislation surrounding these practices has undergone changes in recent years, with updates in 2020 allowing for the collection of DNA from a wider age range, including some as young as 4 years old.
  4. Controversies surrounding the use of these DNA profiles extend beyond the United States, sparking general-news discussions on the ethical and privacy implications of such widespread collection and storage of genetic material.
  5. Advocates for civil liberties have called for increased policy-and-legislation and oversight to protect the privacy rights of these detained minors and ensure that the use of this sensitive data is both necessary and ethical in the larger context of national security and public safety.

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