US Set on Expansion of Security DNA Collection

An anonymous reader dropped us a link to this New York Times article about a 'vast expansion' of DNA sampling here in the US. A little-noticed rider to the January 2006 renewal of the 'Violence Against Women Act' allows government agencies to collect DNA samples from any individual arrested by federal authorities, and from every illegal immigrant held for any length of time by US agents. The goal is to make DNA collection as routine a part of detainment as fingerprinting and photography. Privacy experts and immigrant rights groups are decrying this initiative already. Many are also skeptical of lab throughput, as FBI analysts indicate this may increase intake by as much as a million samples per year. There is already a backlog of 150,000 samples waiting to be entered into the agency's database.

Re:This has been done for a while over here.

[ISoldMyLowIdOnEbay]

With any luck, Big Blair himself will get added to the database shortly...after all, his close friends have and he wouldn't want to be left out...

Re:What are "riders" doing in 2006?

[Ihlosi]

What makes you assume that we have any more control of our democracy than you do?

Isn't that one of the things that makes Americans so proud and superior to the rest of the world ?

Apart from your second amendment and such, you still have the right to vote (and to run for office - that's equally important) over there.