Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has awarded a $10.1 million contract to expand a rapid DNA testing program used to verify claimed family relationships during immigration enforcement operations, according to federal records. The one-year contract, awarded to Virginia-based SNA International LLC, began August 10 and runs through August 9, 2027. The work will support ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) field offices, according to federal spending records for the contract.
ERO is a subdivision of ICE, which is responsible for immigration arrests, detention operations and removals. Civil liberties and immigrant advocacy groups have raised concerns about the use of genetic testing in immigration enforcement, particularly around privacy and the treatment of non-biological family relationships. Stevie Glaberson, director of research and advocacy at Georgetown Law's Center on Privacy & Technology, said concerns remain about how DNA is collected and understood by migrants and families interacting with immigration authorities.
"Many people report not understanding why their DNA was taken and for what purpose," Glaberson told Newsweek, adding that DNA is unique among biometric identifiers because it can reveal information about family members across generations. Newsweek has reached out to ICE and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), for comment via email. Steve Niezgoda, CEO of SNA International, told Newsweek: "As a matter of policy, SNA does not comment publicly on the details of government programs or operations." Scott Mechkowski, who retired in 2018 as ICE's deputy field office director for ERO in New York, told Newsweek that rapid DNA testing is not a new immigration enforcement tool and has been used for years to verify family relationships.
"This isn't about Big Brother," he said. "This is about making sure people who claim to be guardians of minors...we know who they are." The new award follows a $6.24 million contract issued in 2025 for the same purpose. Combined, the two task orders represent more than $16 million in federal obligations tied to the program, according to USAspending.gov.
The rapid DNA initiative stems from research work SNA previously carried out for DHS under the Small Business Innovation Research program, according to a 2025 decision by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). In that decision, the GAO said ICE sought assistance implementing "a rapid DNA testing program" intended to identify fraudulent claims of family relationships made by people entering or attempting to enter the United States. The agency's requirements included DNA testing equipment, test kits, software, technical support and training.
According to the GAO, SNA first received a DHS research contract in 2019 to develop a DNA "reach-back" system capable of supporting rapid DNA testing in the field. A second contract followed in 2020 to further develop the technology, including software known as DNAConnect and a support center for users of rapid DNA systems. ICE later concluded that the work formed the basis for a larger operational program and awarded SNA a sole-source Phase III contract.
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