By: Alexa Greco
The advent of DNA testing has brought with it many benefits for confirming relatedness between individuals and streamlining the family reunification process. When an immigrant or refugee seeks to gain residency in a country via the citizenship of a family member, DNA testing can provide a scientific basis by which to confirm the relationship. However, the use of DNA technology also carries with it many legal and ethical concerns and requires a carefully circumscribed set of laws to ensure that it is not used to the detriment of vulnerable populations. Historically, certain immigrants have faced discrimination at the border, and the ample discretion given to border officers has perpetrated these prejudices against specific ethnic groups. Additionally, DNA evidence fails to account for social notions of family and raises significant privacy concerns surrounding its collection and disposal. Best practices should be established to prevent the commission of these wrongs against immigrants and refugees using human rights law, international law, and model law.