Immigration and Customs Enforcement has become known around the world for its brutal anti-immigration practices and the protesters who position themselves against them.
Some consider it a kind of armed wing of , since since coming to power they have carried out hundreds of arrests and deportations.
ICE practices have also caused controversy this week in the United States: its agents are collecting DNA samples from arrested protestersas an investigation by NPR (National Public Radio).
Although the United States authorities consider it a legal practice, some activists and lawyers believe that The privacy and right to freedom of expression of the protesters are being violated. There are fears that a database of dissidents and .
This is how ICE acts against protesters
NPR collects different testimonies from protesters detained in
One of those affected says that, once arrested, not only did they take photographs and fingerprints: one of the ICE agents put a swab in his mouth.
“It was very informal,” the protester told NPR. “It was like, ‘Okay, yeah, now let’s get this.'” The article mentions 5 other very similar casesin places like Illinois, Oregon and Minnesota.
They all claim that they were arrested for no apparent reason, since they were not causing disorders. Some ended up in the hospital with several broken ribs and various injuries.
Is it legal to collect DNA from protesters?
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says it is required by law to collect DNA from anyone arrested facing federal charges. However, NPR has contacted lawyers who point out a contradiction: Many protesters are being arrested for no reason, simply for being at the protest. This means that DNA samples would be taken from innocent people.
The concern, at this point, is obvious: What happens to these samples once the person is released without charge?
“It worries me a lot because it seems that the government is creating a catalog of political dissidents“, says the president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Andrew Birrell, to NPR.
Once DNA enters the system it is difficult to remove it. The genetic profile of the arrested person will remain in the police databasealthough it has been proven that he is innocent and that his arrest was arbitrary.
Violation of privacy and fear among protesters
DNA not only identifies the individual, but contains genetic information about his or her family. Furthermore, the DNA reveals data about personality traits and even predisposition to developing certain diseases. It is an attack on the privacy of those arrested.
If it is true that a database of dissidents is being created, as NPR points out, it would be an attempt to deter protests by creating fear in protesters.
