Biden to end familial DNA testing at border, key deterrent to fraud and child trafficking

Reports indicate as many as one in three illegal immigrant adults suspected of bringing children who weren't their own, turned out not to be related to them.

By John Solomon and Addison Smith

Published: May 22, 2023 11:35am

Updated: May 24, 2023 11:48am

The Biden administration is set to end familial DNA testing at the US-Mexico border, which has been key to preventing the fraudulent entry of many illegal immigrants and mitigating child trafficking, according to a memo obtained by Just The News.

The DNA testing was originally implemented in the Trump-era and utilized by Customs Border Protection – following a court order related to the separation of migrant children from their families and evidence drug cartels were using children to create fake family units to sneak illegal immigrants across the border.

But over the weekend, a CBP memo sent to frontline border agents announced the testing will cease when its vendor contract expires this month.

"The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) familial DNA contract with BODE Technologies will end on May 31, 2023 and all familial DNA testing will conclude on that date," the memo reads.

LEAKED MEMO_Redacted.pdf

The memo also states such collecting and testing of familial DNA is "separate" from "booking" DNA collection, which is done by the FBI, and that BODE’s expiring contract "does not impact collections as part of the CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) program," which is expected to proceed “uninterrupted.”

CBP has identified numerous family fraud attempts by illegals over the years. In 2022, a government accountability office report found that roughly 1 in 10 (8.5%) of children tested turned out not to be related to the illegal aliens who were crossing with them.

Other reports have found as many as 30% of suspected migrant fraud families shared no familial relation whatsoever.

This is a developing story.

Follow Addison on Twitter.