A new ‘DNA’ law just hit US airports — here’s everything you need to know

A new customs law is now in effect for non-citizens entering or leaving the US — and it gives officials the power to request your DNA.

The Trump administration has made sweeping changes to the American travel system.

The government recently raised the cost of the ESTA for travellers heading to the States, and added five countries- Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria – to its travel ban, which will come in on January 1.

But parts of the latest development border on dystopian.

A new biometric data collection system implemented on December 26 means travellers will be subjected to facial recognition photos at the airport, according to Reuters.

These images will be matched to existing records and stored for up to 75 years, essentially a lifetime.

In more extreme cases, the Department of Homeland Security will have the power to request additional biometric information, such as fingerprints or DNA, if you are not a US citizen.

This policy essentially increases the scope of what officials can legally ask you for at the airport.

It also eliminates any age restrictions that previously protected children and the elderly from these data collections.

Until now, travellers under the age of 14 and over the age of 79 were exempt from these biometric data collections, but now anyone can be subjected to these measures.

The use of biometrics has concerned some watchdog groups after a 2024 report by the US Commission on Civil Rights claimed tests had shown facial recognition software was more likely to misidentify black people and ethnic minority groups.

The new law is intended to ‘deter the filing of frivolous claims and provide operational consistency’, according to the newsroom release by the American government.

It added that these biometrics will ‘generally’ not take biometrics from people unless they’re in ‘removal proceedings’ and have a pending application or petition filed with the Executive Office for Immigration Review.

It’s all part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and reduce the number of people overstaying their visas.

What do people think of this new policy?

There are plenty of people who have thoughts on the new policy, but for some, it feels like something out of a Sci-Fi movie.

‘Unnecessary and dystopian,’ wrote @VAwarrior87 on X.

Another shared: ‘Trump is going to completely kill international tourism.’

Others complained ‘tourists will stop coming’ and said ‘actively trying to tank your own tourism industry is certainly a choice’.

One X user @salsbudxe even wrote: ‘We are losing our autonomy slowly but surely. We shouldn’t force on other countries what we do not want in our own – facial recognition, digital ID, trackers etc.’

What else may be reviewed by US officials?

New US vetting policies don’t stop there though.

Five years of social media history, telephone numbers, emails, and family members’ names could be shared with Border Control for travellers going to the United States.

Travellers from 42 countries, including the UK, could soon be subject to searches while going on holiday abroad if a new proposition is passed.

In a proposal filed by the US Customs and Border Protection, social media would be considered a mandatory data element for anyone applying for an ESTA.

It cited Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14161, which focused on ‘protecting citizens from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes.’

Essentially, it would make the screening process more rigorous for those trying to visit the US.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

Comments Add as preferred source