January 9, 2026
Gene-ius or government overreach?
DHS Invokes Immigration Enforcement to Justify Gathering Americans' DNA
DHS wants your DNA — commenters yell “Don’t tread on me” while others shrug
TLDR: DHS proposed collecting DNA and other biometrics from anyone connected to immigration applications, including citizens. Commenters split: some call it a privacy nightmare and urge action, others note it died in 2020—either way, it’s a civil-liberties flashpoint worth watching.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) floated a rule to scoop up biometrics—fingerprints, eye scans, voice prints, and yes, DNA—from anyone tied to immigration paperwork. That means not just immigrants, but citizens who sponsor family, sign for employers, or help with applications. DHS calls it “identity management,” a fancy way of saying “we want to verify who you are.” The internet response? Pure fireworks.
Outrage poured in with a big “Don’t tread on me” vibe. “Where’s the outrage from all the people flying Gadsden flags?” demanded one commenter, calling it government overreach. Another went full dystopia, branding it “Project2025” vibes run by “TechBro oligarchs and the orange sleepy king,” and dragging a recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) incident into the mix. Meanwhile, pragmatists rolled their eyes: this was proposed and withdrawn in 2020, so chill and “call your Congress critters.” One quipped it’s just “institutional creep” that needs pruning.
There were memes and meta moments too: a deadpan “3, 2, 1 flagged,” and a link for after it’s flagged dropped like contraband. The Institute for Justice, a civil-liberties law group, blasted the plan as a genetic dragnet that risks Fourth Amendment protections (the part of the Constitution against unreasonable searches) and warned DNA could be stored indefinitely for future investigations. Proposed or not, the comment war says it all: people are nervous about who owns their genes.
Key Points
- •DHS proposed expanding biometric data collection, including DNA, for immigration-related benefit requests on November 3 of last year.
- •The rule would require biometrics from any associated individual, including U.S. citizens, sponsors, co-applicants, and employer signatories, regardless of age.
- •Provisions include defining biometrics, expanding collection authority upon alien arrest, codifying reuse requirements, and expanding DNA testing, use, and storage.
- •The Institute for Justice filed objections on January 2, arguing Fourth Amendment concerns and lack of clear congressional authorization, citing indefinite retention and law-enforcement use.
- •A similar DHS biometric expansion proposed in 2020 was withdrawn after thousands of public comments objected to its intrusiveness.