The US Is Storing Migrant Children’s DNA in a Criminal Database
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Summary
US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) has gathered and uploaded genetic data from over 133,000 migrant children and teenagers, including those as young as four, into a national criminal database, according to documents seen by Wired.
The data was gathered through the CBP’s controversial DNA collection programme between October 2020 and the end of 2024 and uploaded to the FBI-run Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).
The database contains DNA collected from crime scenes as well as the genetic data of those convicted of crimes to identify potential suspects.
The DOJ argues that the extensive DNA collection at the border helps to assess the potential danger posed by migrants as well as to solve crimes they may commit in the future.
However, the raw DNA data is stored indefinitely and experts fear profiling could take place without proper safeguards in place.
CBP swabs the cheeks of between 829,000 and 2.8 million people per year, including between 133,000 and 227 minors under the age of 14.
As many as 122 of the minors recorded were identified as US citizens, while 53 of those detained were not arrested for criminal offences.
