In an effort to reunite nearly 3,000 migrant children with their parents, the US Department of Health and Human Services will be conducting DNA tests via a cheek swab, NBC News reported yesterday (July 5).
The matches must be made by July 10 for children younger than five years and by July 26 for children ages 5–17, according to a federal judge in the Southern District of California. Traditional methods, such as reviewing birth certificates, to verify the parents of the children would take too long, according to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar. Jonathan White, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at HHS, tells NBC News the results of the DNA tests would not be used for anything other than to match children with their parents.
Immigration advocates aren’t convinced by the promise and are voicing concerns about what the government might do with the data once ...
