U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) greatly increased its DNA collection activities during President Donald Trump’s second term. New research by Georgetown University’s Center on Privacy and Technology found that ICE added approximately 919,908 new genetic profiles to the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database in fiscal year 2025.
The figure represents a striking increase compared with previous years. From the end of 2020 through the end of 2024, only around 20,000 samples were collected, while ICE has now become the largest contributor of profiles to the national DNA system within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The vast majority of the profiles collected belong to immigrants with no criminal convictions.
Immigrant punished for refusing DNA test
The first case illustrating how the program is being implemented took place in Texas. ICE detained Ugo Moreno-Mendez on March 13, 2025, when he went to the probation office to sign in, and sought to take a DNA sample from him by force. After Moreno-Mendez refused three times, he was brought before a court four days later on charges of “failure to register as an alien” and “refusal to provide a DNA sample.” He was found guilty in August 2025 and sentenced to time served.
Children’s genetic information is also being collected
The expanding practice also affects children detained with their families. Members of Congress who inspected a family detention center in Dilley, Texas, in May 2026 learned that families had been providing DNA samples for three months. ICE officials gave conflicting explanations about why the samples were collected and how long they would be stored.
The agency confirmed that DNA could be collected from children aged 14 and older, while Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data showed that the rule was not always followed. From January 2025 to January 2026, the DNA of 492 children under the age of 14 was sent to the FBI. Among them were 21 five-year-olds, 32 six-year-olds and 33 seven-year-olds.
Members of Congress Joaquin Castro, Greg Stanton and Nanette Barragan said, “None of the families in Dilley has been convicted of a crime. They should not be included in a database designed for criminals, especially when children are involved.”
Privacy concerns and lawsuits
A DHS spokesperson argues that DNA collection is intended to support border security and identity verification. Georgetown researchers, however, emphasize that the samples are used not only for identity verification but also to match individuals with other crimes through CODIS. Researcher Stevie Glaberson said, “The Fourth Amendment prohibits the government from coercively obtaining sensitive information. This letter shows that is exactly what is being done.”
The practice has also prompted legal challenges. In May 2026, four U.S. citizens filed a lawsuit after saying their DNA was taken following their detention during a protest outside an ICE facility in Illinois. In California, Army veteran George Retes Jr. also alleged that he experienced similar treatment.
Legal experts say families often do not understand why their DNA is being collected and are not informed about the results. Lisea Welch, an attorney overseeing the Flores Agreement, said, “People are not being told what is happening to them. This creates tremendous stress, especially for children.”
At a congressional hearing in July 2025, the DHS inspector general announced that a report on DNA collection from children was being prepared, but the report has not yet been submitted. Members of Congress asked whether an assessment had been conducted on the program’s impact on privacy and rights, while ICE said it was unaware of any such assessment.
