Thread by @Haleaziz

SCOOP: The Trump administration wants to expand its DNA testing program by enabling CBP officials to extract genetic material from undocumented immigrants in its custody, according to a draft policy obtained by BuzzFeed News.

Story: buzzfeednews.com/article/hameda…

Administration officials estimate CBP officials would spend more than 20K additional work hours on such a policy in its 1st year of implementation. Hundreds of thousands of individuals could be tested each year if the draft proposed regulation, from the DOJ, is fully implemented.

In 2010, then-DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano instituted an exception for DNA testing, saying people who were not detained on criminal charges and those who were awaiting deportation proceedings would not be tested.

This DOJ reg would kill that exception altogether.

The DNA results could then be placed into a nationwide database that contains millions of other profiles for hits on potential previous criminal activity, officials explained in the proposal.

“It would, for the first time in this context, treat undocumented immigrants more like criminals in that DNA testing of this type is used only in a pure criminal context,” said Jonathan Meyer, a former deputy general counsel at DHS.