The US Customs and Border Protection agency will start collecting DNA from people that are apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol at the Canadian border in or near Detroit, as well as those detained at the official port of entry at Eagle Pass, Texas. CBP said its pilot program will last 90 days. This means that in Detroit, people as young as 14 will be subject to DNA collection.
A memo that outlines the program was published by the Department of Homeland Security, it stated that U.S. citizens and permanent residents holding a “green card” who are detained could be subject to DNA testing, as well as asylum seekers and people entering the country without authorization. Refusing to submit DNA could lead to a misdemeanor criminal charge, the document said.
To learn more about this pilot program, visit: https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/6/21052229/ice-cbp-immigration-dna-collection-detainees-trump-administration
