ICE Collected DNA From Nearly 1 Million People in 2024, Including Children

Internal documents reveal that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement dramatically expanded its DNA collection program during the second Trump administration. The agency gathered genetic data from close to one million individuals last year, a figure that represents a sharp increase from previous years. The collected samples included those from young children, raising significant civil liberties concerns. Much of this data has been entered into an FBI criminal database, meaning hundreds of thousands of people with no criminal convictions now have a permanent genetic record on file. Critics argue the practice raises serious questions about privacy rights and the long-term implications of storing DNA from individuals never charged with a crime.