Blog

Navigating DNA Testing in Immigration Cases

Jul 30, 2015 | AABB DNA Testing, Immigration DNA Testing, Legal Paternity Testing, Paternity, Science and Technology

happy mother and daughter piggyback“DNA testing has become the gold standard for immigration cases based on genetic family relationships much as it has for other areas of law such as family or criminal justice.” This is the introduction to a new article (as titled above) on DNA testing in Immigration cases, published by the American Immigration Lawyers Association, or AILA.
The article’s authors include Dr. Michael Baird, laboratory director of DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC), which provides AABB-accredited DNA testing services for immigration. As a member of the AABB for more than 20 years, Dr. Baird has served as chair of the Relationship Testing Standards Program Unit, and currently serves as a member of the Molecular Testing Standards Committee of the AABB.
The article focuses on the fact that DNA testing is currently used by government agencies to establish relationships for those seeking immigration, and that guidance and laws around the use of DNA testing has not evolved perhaps as fast as the science itself.
“DNA is not listed as primary or secondary evidence of a family relationship…the ombudsman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recommended adding DNA testing as primary evidence of a family relationship,” and concluded that “Family reunification is a pillar of U.S. immigration policy. USCIS must be able to verify, and its customers must be able to establish, that the claimed family relationships that constitute the basis of eligibility for immigration benefits are legitimate.”
The article goes on to acknowledge that even though DNA testing is now common, and requires only a cheek-swab rather than a blood sample, the guidance from USCIS and other agencies still leaves it as a last resort. Cases begin with paperwork—documents of evidence. It can take months to for the USCIS or DOS to process these supportive documents, and if in the end the adjudicating officer is not satisfied, he or she can “suggest DNA testing and direct applicants to a list of authorized laboratories to use.”
The overwhelming majority of immigration DNA tests are straightforward and provide definitive answers, in the form of establishing a biological relationship, or disproving such relationship. Dr. Baird and DDC perform hundreds of AABB-accredited immigration DNA tests monthly.
In some cases, where close biological relationships exist (brothers, twins, cousins), it can be “very difficult to discern which one is the biological father because they may share many alleles. In families involving marriage amongst blood relatives (or “consanguineous” relationships), relatives may share an even greater number of alleles.” Alleles are the genetic markers used in DNA testing.
Further evidence of rare cases mentioned in the article are those of genetic mutations, mosaicism, and chimerism—a situation where a person has more than one complete genome in their body. These cases are very rare, and only a few labs in the U.S. are equipped to identify such cases.
Click here if you are in the UK or a country other than the United States for more information about our international testing options, or immigration to countries other than the U.S.
For more on Immigration DNA testing, and how your testing can be expedited by the experts at DDC, call today for a free consultation.

0 Comments
Legal Paternity Test vs. At-Home Paternity Test

Legal Paternity Test vs. At-Home Paternity Test

If you are considering paternity testing in the near future, it can be extremely helpful to understand the differences between a legal paternity test and a home paternity test. While both tests determine paternity with at least 99.999% confidence, there are some key...

Do Hospitals Do Paternity Tests at Birth?

Do Hospitals Do Paternity Tests at Birth?

Paternity testing can be an emotionally charged experience for everyone involved. For many, obtaining the results as quickly as possible alleviates uncertainty and provides much-needed peace of mind.

Kelly and Sargon’s Story: Paternity Testing with DDC

Kelly and Sargon’s Story: Paternity Testing with DDC

Are you curious about what to expect when you choose to take a paternity test with DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC)? Kelly Wilson, from Lincolnshire, England, shares her story about working with the DDC team to verify the relationship between herself and her biological father, Sargon Isaac.

Getting a Paternity Test? Learn More About the Process

Getting a Paternity Test? Learn More About the Process

Getting a paternity test is an important decision, and DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC) can guide you through the process. A DNA paternity test is highly accurate and can determine the biological father of a child if doubt arises regarding parentage.

Reach Us

Have questions or need assistance? Contact our team.

DNA Technology Park
1 DDC Way
Fairfield, OH 45014

Leave A Message