Wired reports ICE collected nearly 1 million DNA samples in a year

In short: ICE collected DNA from nearly 1 million people in the past year, including children, and many profiles were sent into an FBI database that can keep them indefinitely.

What happened

WIRED reports that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also called ICE, has ramped up DNA collection in immigration custody. The reported total is close to 1 million people in the past year.

This includes people who do not have criminal convictions, according to WIRED. The DNA is being added to CODIS, an FBI DNA database used in criminal investigations. Think of CODIS like a long-term filing cabinet of DNA profiles that can be searched later.

The report and the related podcast discussion say ICE collected DNA from young children as well. WIRED cites findings done with researchers at Georgetown, including hundreds of children under 14 whose DNA was sent to the FBI between January 2025 and January 2026.

WIRED also points to cases in 2025 where people in immigration custody were prosecuted after refusing to give a DNA sample. Lawmakers have criticized the practice, especially when it involves families and children.

Why it matters

DNA is not like a phone number you can change. Once it is stored in a government database, it can be kept and reused for years. The main question for the public is what rules should apply when DNA is collected from people who are not convicted of a crime, and how long the government should be allowed to keep it.

Source: Wired