WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Government plans to collect DNA samples from illegal migrants detained at the border, reports quoting administration officials said.
'It does enhance our ability to further identify someone who has illegally entered the country,' one of the Department of Homeland Security officials told reporters on condition of anonymity.
The details of the plan, including its costs, privacy concerns and training, are being discussed in a working group.
The officials said the new rules would help the government better identify immigrants who could commit crimes in the future.
A 2005 law requires the Justice Department to collect biometric information from arrested and convicted people, including criminals and unauthorized immigrants.
The law, which grants the DHS Secretary discretion to waive the requirement, has not yet been implemented.
The latest move by the Trump administration could be read with its new policy to promote merit-based legal immigration and discourage refugee inflow.
The White House announced a week ago that due to the ongoing security and humanitarian crisis on the border and the massive asylum backlog, which has reached nearly one million, the Trump administration is limiting the annual intake of refugees to 18000.
'President Trump is prioritizing the safety and security of the American people by making sure we do not admit more people than we can vet,' it said in a fact sheet.
Many refugees come from countries that are known sources of terrorism or lack the modern record-keeping to help the U.S. authorities to identify their nationalities, according to it.
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