ICE Collected Nearly 1 Million DNA Samples in 2025, Including from Children

ICE's Expanded DNA Collection Program

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) significantly expanded its DNA collection efforts in 2025, gathering approximately 920,000 genetic profiles. This program targets individuals held for civil immigration violations, despite most lacking criminal convictions. The collected DNA is then submitted to the FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a database primarily used for criminal investigations.

Case Example: Moreno-Mendez

A specific instance involved Hugo Moreno-Mendez, who was arrested by ICE during a probation check-in. He refused to provide a DNA sample and was subsequently charged with failing to register as a noncitizen and refusing to provide DNA while in federal custody. He was later found guilty of both charges, highlighting the coercive nature of the collection process.

Impact on Privacy and Data Use

The expansion has made the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the largest single source of new genetic profiles for the nation's criminal DNA system. Once in CODIS, these profiles can be compared against evidence from unsolved crimes indefinitely. This raises significant privacy concerns, especially since the physical DNA samples, containing a person's entire genome, are stored indefinitely in federal laboratories.

Collection from Vulnerable Populations

The program has extended to families in immigration detention, leading to lawsuits and congressional scrutiny. Lawmakers expressed concern after learning that DNA samples were being collected from children at a family detention center in Dilley, Texas, further broadening the scope of this data collection to include vulnerable populations.