Four protesters have filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to halt the alleged collection of DNA samples from Americans arrested during demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity. The complaint, filed in an Illinois district court on Wednesday, seeks to stop what plaintiffs describe as violations of the First and Fourth Amendments, as well as the Administrative Procedure Act.
The protesters were arrested at the Broadview ICE facility during 'Operation Midway Blitz,' a federal operation that deployed thousands of agents to Chicago. The lawsuit accuses the government of 'wrongfully arresting peaceful protesters, collecting their DNA, uploading their genetic profiles to government databases, and storing their DNA samples in federal labs—permanently.'
They have accused the federal government of 'wrongfully arresting peaceful protesters, collecting their DNA, uploading their genetic profiles to government databases, and storing their DNA samples in federal labs—permanently.'
The lawsuit highlights concerns over the potential creation of a vast DNA database targeting ICE critics, raising questions about governmental overreach and the protection of constitutional rights. As of now, DHS and FBI have not publicly responded to the allegations.