DNA testing for migrants at border urged to stop child trafficking

EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., is renewing the call for DNA testing for migrants to prevent trafficking at the southern border in a letter sent to the Department of Homeland Security on Friday morning.

Blackburn noted the recent passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” contains funding for the practice in the billions intended for border security and immigration enforcement.

“As an essential component of that commitment, this landmark legislation provides critical resources to prevent child trafficking and child recycling—specifically allocating funds for ‘collecting fingerprints’ and ‘collecting DNA’ in accordance with the Immigration and Nationality Act,” the senator wrote in the letter.

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“Implementation of this critical provision will be a significant step forward in our fight to protect these innocent children—many of whom were trafficked into the United States during the Biden border crisis,” she added.

There have been mounting concerns over unaccompanied migrant children who have entered the United States but did not have properly vetted sponsors. 

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Millions of individuals entered the country illegally during the Biden administration, and encounters have since taken a nosedive. Still, long-term discussions about the future of border security have been top-of-mind for lawmakers after the crisis, whether it’s filling gaps at the wall or fighting back against drug cartels.

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This image shows the border wall separating Mexico from the U.S. in San Diego Sector. ()

“Familial DNA testing and fingerprinting have served as proven, effective tools that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can utilize to combat child trafficking, identify dangerous criminals, verify familial relationships, and protect these innocent children from exploitation,” the letter continued.

The Trump administration announced late last month that 13,000 children had been located who had “lost or unvetted sponsors,” and was nearly completed working through a 65,000-case backlog from the Biden-era border crisis. 

DHS said at the time it has led to 4,000 “investigative leads” related to possible criminal activity.

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A family of five claiming to be from Guatemala and a man stating he was from Peru, in pink shirt, walk through the desert after crossing the border wall in the Tucson Sector of the U.S.-Mexico border, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt York)

“The evil of human trafficking cannot be overstated. It’s modern-day slavery. By leaving our borders open and even encouraging people to come here illegally, Biden enabled the largest human-trafficking operation in modern history,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a July 25 statement. “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to eradicate human trafficking operations targeting the United States. Under the leadership of President Donald Trump, and working together at every level of government, we can win this fight. And we will.”

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Digital reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment on the letter.

“I urge you to use those funds to: (1) continue to utilize DNA verification technology—including rapid DNA testing3—to confirm familial relationships at the border; and (2) ensure that all migrants are fingerprinted upon seeking admission into the United States, including migrant children younger than 14 years of age,” Blackburn further added.