Tennessee Senator Proposes DNA and Fingerprinting Measures to Combat Child Trafficking at the Border
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., has renewed her call for the Department of Homeland Security to implement DNA testing and fingerprinting for migrants as a critical tool in the fight against human trafficking. In a letter sent to DHS on Friday, Blackburn highlighted the recent passage of the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act,’ which includes billions in funding for border security and immigration enforcement. She emphasized that these measures are essential to prevent child trafficking and identify dangerous criminals, particularly in light of the ongoing concerns over unaccompanied migrant children who have entered the United States without properly vetted sponsors.
Blackburn’s letter stressed the importance of these measures as a vital component of the new legislation, which she said provides critical resources to ‘prevent child trafficking and child recycling’ by allocating funds for DNA collection and fingerprinting in compliance with the Immigration and Nationality Act. She noted that the Trump administration had already made strides in addressing the issue, with DHS reporting the identification of 13,000 children who had ‘lost or unvetted sponsors’ and nearly completing a backlog of 65,000 cases. The Department of Homeland Security has also stated that these efforts have led to 4,000 ‘investigative leads’ related to criminal activity.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who is a key figure in the Trump administration’s immigration policies, has criticized the Biden administration’s approach to border security, calling it ‘unconscionable’ and enabling the ‘largest human-trafficking operation in modern history.’ Noem argued that under the Trump administration, the US had a ‘once-in-a-generation opportunity’ to combat human trafficking by strengthening border controls and ensuring strict enforcement of immigration laws. Blackburn’s proposal aligns with this sentiment, as she urged DHS to use the allocated funds to utilize DNA verification technology and fingerprinting for all migrants, including children under the age of 14.
As part of the ongoing debate over border security, lawmakers are continuing to evaluate long-term solutions, including filling gaps in the physical infrastructure of the border wall and combatting drug cartels that exploit weak security. Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment on the letter, which remains the focus of discussions on how to effectively address the complex issue of child trafficking and border control in the US.