According to Ken Cuccinelli, the acting director of U.S. Citizenship And Immigration Services, pilot programs with the Border Patrol has become quite popular these days. Fake families are being identified with the help of DNA testing. More than 30% of fake families are identified in places where it has been implemented.
Ken Cuccinelli said this statement during his appearance at the Public Policy Foundation, Texas. The Donald Trump administration doubt children being smuggled to the borders of the U.S. -Mexico. DNA tests are being conducted at the border to test some of the groups that purported to be real family units. With the help of the test, it has become easier to determine the truth.
Several cases related to migrant groups have been uncovered with the aid of DNA testing. The Federal data obtained show a lower rate of fraudulent families in comparison to Cuccinelli’s figure.
During the first half of this year, the US Immigration And Customs Enforcement agencies carried out the rapid DNA testing program Cuccinelli. According to the officials, rapid DNA tests have conducted and administrator using check swabs. This was done on a voluntary basis. The results were easily produced within 90 minutes of conducting the test.
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Officials used to rely on traditional investigative means before DNA testing to suss out fake families. It includes screening documents for the counterfeits. Agents used to detect more than 1000 fake families who attempt to illegally cross the Southern Border from October 2018 to April 2019.
Cuccinelli said, in early May 2019, a three-day pilot program was conducted. A part of the group trying to cross the border illegally was caught with the help of DNA testing. The rate was not high like 30%.
According to the statement of the immigration and customs enforcement in June, 84 families “presented indicia of fraud.” Out of that, 16 family units were identified as fraud.
Thus, reflecting a rate of around 19%.
According to the Immigration And Customs Enforcement statement in June, the pilot program would be extended by 120 days. At the same time, it would be expanded to five other border locations during the latter part of the month. However, no data reflecting the results of the extension has been found.
Homeland security did not provide any data or respond when asked. Moreover, U.S. Citizenship And Immigration services officials also did not respond as well.