Department of Homeland Security use of DNA matching technology to verify claimed parent-child relationships as part of immigration processing showed that in the vast majority of cases claims were valid, according to a new report by the department’s Office of Inspector General.
From June 2019 until Sept. 2021, investigators with Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted 3,516 Rapid DNA tests, with 3,216, nearly 92 percent testing positive, and 300, or close to 9 percent, testing negative for a claimed familial relationship, says the report, which was issued on Feb. 8.
Once the COVID-19 pandemic led to travel restrictions combined with an order by the Department of Health and Human Services temporarily restricting the entry into the U.S. of non-citizens, Rapid DNA testing fell precipitously, data analyzed by the IG show. From the third quarter of 2019 when the ICE evaluation began through the first quarter of 2020, 3,326 Rapid DNA tests were done.
Beginning in the second quarter of 2020 through the third quarter of 2021, only 190 tests were administered.
ICE ended its Rapid DNA program in Sept. 2021, which is when Customs and Border Protection began its Rapid DNA program, the report says, noting that during the scope of the audit, CBP hadn’t fully ramped up its program.
ICE used the portable Rapid DNA systems at 11 locations along the southwest border. CBP contracted for Rapid DNA testing services at 18 Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations locations along the southwest and northern borders.
In CBP’s case, agency officials used contractor-supplied kits to obtain DNA samples and mail them to the contractor for testing. The contractor must send CBP officials the test results within 24 hours.