Latest news with #CODIS
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Al Jazeera
Why the US is collecting DNA from migrants
DNA may be the new front line of immigration control. The United States government has collected the DNA of more than 130,000 migrant children and teenagers, some as young as four, and stored their profiles in CODIS, the FBI's criminal database. Officials say it's about public safety. But privacy advocates say it turns civil immigration cases into permanent criminal surveillance.
Al Jazeera
7 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
The Take: Inside US plan to surveil migrants
DNA may be the new front line of immigration control. The United States government has collected the DNA of more than 130,000 migrant children and teenagers, some as young as four, and stored their profiles in CODIS, the FBI's criminal database. Officials say it's about public safety. But privacy advocates say it turns civil immigration cases into permanent criminal surveillance. In this episode: Stevie Glaberson (@sglabe) – Director of research and advocacy at Georgetown Law Center Episode credits: This episode was produced by Noor Wazwaz, Sari el-Khalili and Amy Walters, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Marcos Bartolomé, Melanie Marich, Sonia Bhagat, Marya Khan, and our guest host, Manuel Rápalo. It was edited by Kylene Kiang. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take's executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wyden questions Trump admin's ‘chilling' immigrant DNA collection rule
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) is raising concerns over the Trump administration expanding a program that allows immigration enforcement agents to collect DNA from detained immigrants. In a letter sent Monday to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Attorney General Pam Bondi, Wyden criticized DHS and the Department of Justice for expanding the program in the final days of the first Trump administration, requiring DHS to build out a DNA collection program. As part of the program, the DNA is stored in a national criminal database. Wyden explained that under the program, DHS agents – authorized by the Attorney General – collect the DNA samples and send them to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for testing and add the samples to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). DON'T MISS: Beaverton father detained by ICE outside of preschool CODIS was originally authorized by Congress in 1994 to retain forensic evidence and to identify convicted sex offenders and violent criminals. The database is permanently searchable by law enforcement across the United States. From 2020 to 2024, the collection of immigrants' DNA has seen a 50-fold increase in the number of samples kept in the national database, as reported by the Los Angeles Times in May 2024. Over those four years, more than 1.5 million noncitizen profiles were added to the database, the LA Times reported, citing a report from . Parents out thousands as Beehive NW closes abruptly 'Governments exercising such broad discretion to involuntarily collect and retain DNA are repressive authoritarian regimes also engaging in gross human rights violations, such as genocide, ethnic cleansing, torture, and more,' Wyden wrote in his letter to Secretary Noem and Attorney General Bondi. 'In fact, the U.S. Government has condemned the involuntary collection of DNA by the People's Republic of China and has sanctioned entities engaged in this practice, yet this practice appears to be ongoing on our own soil.' The senator said the DNA samples include those of more than 133,000 children as young as four years old. Wyden additionally raised concerns that DHS agents are not clearly notifying noncitizens that their DNA is being taken and that some agents threaten arrest or criminal charges if immigrants refuse to provide a sample. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Some legal experts are also warning that the mass collection of immigrant DNA may be a violation of constitutional due process rights, Wyden claimed, noting the Trump administration has allowed DHS agents to detain and collect samples from immigrants without judicial authorization. 'Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials are not required by law to seek judicial authorization to detain noncitizens, and it seems noncitizens can be detained for the sole purpose of collecting their DNA. ICE and CBP officials have broad discretion for detention, and since the Trump administration intentionally expanded its detention efforts, DHS dramatically expanded the federal government's collection of DNA by 5,000%. Whereas prior administrations sought to limit DNA collection from noncitizens, DHS added over 1.5 million DNA profiles of noncitizens to CODIS after 2020,' Wyden wrote. 'Reporting suggests that the Trump administration has added another quarter million people's DNA to CODIS within four months this year and that the vast majority of this DNA come from immigration encounters with Mexican, Venezuelan, Cuban, and Haitian citizens. The Trump administration appears to be broadly detaining individuals and collecting their DNA for permanent storage in CODIS. Reporting also suggests that 97% of noncitizens whose DNA was collected were detained under CBP's civil authority, and not on any criminal charges,' Wyden continued. In his letter, Wyden questioned the government's interest in collecting DNA samples from noncitizens during detention and immigration enforcement and is seeking answers about how the federal agencies use the DNA samples. Wyden's deadline for a response is August 1. KOIN 6 News has reached out to the Department of Justice. This story will be updated if we receive a response. In a statement to KOIN 6 News on Thursday, a DHS spokesperson said, 'In order to secure our borders, CBP is devoting every resource available to identify who is entering our country. We are not letting terrorists, human smugglers, child sex traffickers, and other criminals enter American communities. Toward this end, CBP collects DNA samples for submission to the FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) from persons in CBP custody who are arrested on federal criminal charges, and from aliens detained under CBP's authority who are subject to fingerprinting and not otherwise exempt from the collection requirement.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
14-07-2025
- Miami Herald
DNA cracks 2011 cold case killing that involved sex for money, NJ officials say
More than a decade after a man was fatally stabbed inside an abandoned home, DNA has led to a break in his case, New Jersey prosecutors say. Kenyar Hill, 46, was charged with first-degree murder in the 2011 slaying of Brian Holden, 42, of Camden, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office said in a July 10 news release. An attorney representing Hill did not immediately respond to McClatchy News' request for comment on July 14. Camden City police responded to a report of a stabbing at an abandoned Camden home just before 10 p.m. on Oct. 11, 2011, prosecutors said. When first responders arrived, they found Holden 'lying in the front room' with multiple stab wounds, prosecutors said. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, prosecutors said. While investigating his death, detectives spoke with Holden's girlfriend, according to prosecutors. She told detectives she met with a man earlier in the evening and 'agreed to have sexual intercourse with him for money,' prosecutors said. Afterward, she said they started arguing, 'and he took his money back,' prosecutors said. The girlfriend said she yelled for Holden, then he confronted the man, prosecutors said. An altercation ensued and Holden was stabbed multiple times, prosecutors said. The girlfriend underwent 'a sexual assault forensic examination' at a hospital and DNA evidence was collected, prosecutors said. Investigators submitted the evidence to the New Jersey State Police laboratory; however, at the time, there were no hits in the Combined DNA Index System, according to prosecutors. CODIS is 'a computer software program that operates local, state, and national databases of DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence, and missing persons,' according to federal prosecutors. Eleven years later, there was a 'high stringency match' in CODIS, identifying Hill as a potential suspect in the 2011 cold case, prosecutors said. To confirm the match, detectives collected a DNA swab from Hill and submitted it for testing, along with the original swabs from the sexual assault kit, prosecutors said. Hill's DNA matched that of the DNA profile from the sexual assault examination, according to prosecutors. 'After receiving the DNA results, detectives continued to follow up on the investigation, including locating witnesses from more than a decade ago,' prosecutors said. This led detectives to identify Hill as a suspect in Holden's death, prosecutors said, adding that he was arrested June 27. Camden is about a 5-mile drive east from Center City Philadelphia.
Newsweek
09-07-2025
- Newsweek
70-Year-Old Man Charged in 1999 Murder Case
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Washington, D.C., police arrested a 70-year-old man on Tuesday in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 24-year-old woman in 1999. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of George Mudd, who is charged with first-degree murder while armed (premeditated), in a news release on Wednesday. The Context Susan Cvengros was found suffering from stab wounds at a residence in Northeast Washington, D.C., on May 21, 1999. Police said she was pronounced dead after lifesaving efforts failed. Investigators determined that DNA found on the victim came from a single source and the profile developed from the samples matched Mudd in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database, according to an affidavit obtained by Newsweek. The breakthrough highlights how DNA testing can assist in cold-case investigations. The Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., announced an arrest in connection with the fatal stabbing of Susan Cvengros in 1999. The Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., announced an arrest in connection with the fatal stabbing of Susan Cvengros in 1999. Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia What To Know An autopsy report said that Cvengros' cause of death was incised and stab wounds of neck and torso, and the manner of death was a homicide. DNA samples from a sexual assault kit, the victim's nightgown, a comforter, fingernail clippings and multiple cigarette butts were sent to the FBI for forensic examination. In 2012, the FBI determined that the DNA on swabs from the sexual assault kit were consistent with Mudd. Multiple samples were sent to DNA analysis company Bode Technology for further testing in 2013 and 2014. In 2005, Mudd was convicted of assault with intent to commit kidnapping while armed, carrying a dangerous weapon and unlawful entry in an unrelated case. During an interview with detectives in 2012, Mudd said the victim in that case was lying and had stabbed herself while high on Ecstasy, according to the affidavit. Mudd was questioned about Cvengros' death by detectives in 2023. He said he did not recognize the victim or the house where she was killed. He denied ever committing murder or rape. Newsweek reached out to the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia for comment. What People Are Saying MPD Detective Todd Williams, in an affidavit: "Based on the aforementioned facts and circumstances, your affiant submits that there is probable cause to believe that George Mudd committed the sexual assault and murder of Susan Cvengros." MPD Lieutenant Keith Batton, told WUSA9: "Our technology has grown so much from 1999 to now. It's really grown. So we're able to utilize some of the new technologies to get us to where we're at." What Happens Next A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for July 30. Mudd is being held without bond, according to court records. Do you have a story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@
