Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is raising concerns that Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) failure to consistently collect DNA from illegal immigrants apprehended at the border is robbing law enforcement of critical investigative leads, hampering the United States’ ability to go after unsolved criminal cases.
According to FBI DNA Database Unit reports obtained and released by Grassley, matches to DNA previously collected from illegal immigrants have allowed U.S. law enforcement to deliver justice for crimes such as fraud, homicides, burglaries, assault on federal officers and sexual assault, including assaults on minors. Nevertheless, legally protected whistleblower disclosures revealed CBP collected DNA samples from just 37 percent of illegal immigrants apprehended in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, and similarly collected low percentages in FY20 and FY21.
“…DNA analysis allows law enforcement officials to better identify subjects and victims of crimes using unique identifiers without disclosing an individual’s personal traits,” Grassley wrote.
“…[C]ollecting even minimal DNA samples of illegal immigrants has resulted in further investigative leads and potentially solving cold case crimes against American citizens,” Grassley continued. “CBP’s low percentage of DNA collection on illegal immigrants will undermine the service of justice and allow criminals to enter the United States to commit more crimes and threatens the safety of Americans.”
Read Grassley’s letter to CBP and the Department of Homeland Security and view the attached FBI reports HERE.
