US mulls new DNA sampling

Washington: The US government plans to begin collecting DNA samples from anyone arrested by a federal law enforcement agency, a move that is raising concerns about the privacy of potentially innocent people.

Controversially, the government also plans to collect DNA samples from foreigners who are detained, whether they have been charged or not. This is a departure from current practice, which limits DNA collection to convicted felons.

An official said the DNA collection would be subject to the same privacy laws applied to current DNA sampling. This means none of it would be used for identifying genetic traits, diseases or disorders, he said.