Report: US Border Officials Collected DNA of Nearly 2,000 Citizens Without Charges

By Staff, Agencies

A new report has revealed that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) collected DNA from nearly 2,000 American citizens between 2020 and 2024 — many of whom were never charged with a crime. The samples were shared with the FBI and stored in its national database, raising alarm among privacy advocates.

One case cited involved a 25-year-old traveler at Chicago’s Midway Airport in March 2021. Despite facing no charges, the individual’s DNA was taken and entered into the FBI’s system. Data analyzed by Georgetown University’s Center on Privacy and Technology shows that some samples came from minors as young as 14.

The report also found that CBP agents sometimes swabbed citizens for civil infractions, such as failing to declare goods. In at least two cases, the only justification listed was “inspection by immigration officer.” Roughly 865 of the nearly 2,000 people had no federal charges filed against them, meaning the collections faced no judicial oversight.

“In a flagrant and alarming abuse of power, the DHS has been regularly collecting DNA from US citizens without legal justification,” said Stevie Glaberson, director of research and advocacy at Georgetown’s privacy center, warning the practice violates the Fourth Amendment.

Once collected, samples were uploaded to the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a nationwide database meant for tracking criminal suspects. Privacy experts argue that this amounts to unlawful surveillance, extending far beyond its legal scope.

According to a separate Georgetown report, CODIS already includes the DNA of about 133,000 migrant children and teens collected by CBP, deepening concerns over unchecked biometric surveillance.