Homeland Security Now Collecting Immigrant DNA and Forgetting History
The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly moving to test immigrants' DNA, ostensibly to verify familial relationships. This 'new' plan isn't so new for those familiar with history. Governments, from the Jim Crow South to apartheid South Africa, have long used biometric data and familial separation under the guise of order, frequently targeting marginalized groups. (Funny how we don't see
mandatory DNA tests for defense contractors or Wall Street bankers.) Newsweek's piece frames this as a bureaucratic adjustment, devoid of context. It's a reminder that 'security' often becomes a synonym for control over vulnerable populations, while powerful interests remain exempt from such invasive scrutiny. One might wonder who truly benefits when governments amass detailed genetic records of
those seeking refuge, and what precedents this sets for broader surveillance.