DHS Chief: 24 cases of false paternal claims found at border in first days of DNA testing

[Jose Garcia]

Last edited Wed Jun 5, 2019, 05:17 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: The Hill

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan said in an interview with Hill.TV that 24 cases of false parental claims had been found at the U.S.-Mexico border in the first few days of DNA testing.

Current U.S. law allows for asylum seekers traveling with children to be detained for only a short period, and then released within the U.S. until they are required to appear before a judge about their application.

McAleenan noted that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is particularly concerned that undocumented migrants seeking asylum are falsely claiming to be the parents of the children they are traveling with to take advantage of the law.

The DHS has also said such claims raise concerns about the welfare of the children.

Read more: https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/446880-dhs-chief-24-cases-of-false-paternal-claims-revealed-at-border-in-first-days-of

[ArizonaLib]

1. "Concerns about the welfare of the children" ?????????????

DHS is concerned about the welfare of the children? News to me!!!

Someone needs to inform the acting secretary that keeping children in cages raises opportunism concerns about his racist double talk.

[Mr.Bill]

2. 24 cases out of how many?

Makes a big difference if it was, say, it was 24 out of 100 or 24 out of 5,000.

Link in OP does not work, so I can't see if that info is contained in the story.

[ArizonaLib]

3. That test does not account for families taking in or adopting

children whose families no longer exist because of the conditions from which those refugees seek asylum.

I am not an expert, but I am suspicious of everything about that test, including whether the tests were performed independently or were overseen by an independent source. I am not sure I believe the count of 24.

I think you are right to have questions about the test.

[blueinredohio]

4. You have read my mind. I trust nothing this administration does.

[jberryhill]

5. Bingo

I know quite a few people whose DNA does not match their parents, or at least one of their parents.

[Mr.Bill]

6. I have two children,

five grandchildren and four great grandchildren who do not match mine.

That's because I'm a step-father.

In studying my genealogy, I have found many instances as recently as 100 years ago where children were taken in by non-blood related people (in-laws, neighbors, etc.) because their own parents could not take care of them for various reasons. I suspect this is still rather common in third-world countries.

[Hortensis]

16. Yes. And of course genuine relatives claiming to be parents,

whether their long-term relationship is parental or not, for obvious reasons. I'm sure a lot of them are legitimate caregivers.

[Jose Garcia]

7. Link fixed

[Mr.Bill]

11. Thanks.

[CharleyDog]

14. so, I went to the hill.com and the story there does not say out of how many

which was also my first question. The story also claims ICE/DHS found families were not related due to "false documents" and over 300 prosecutions of people purporting to be parents.

[Fullduplexxx]

8. #everywordalie

Not surprised to see this on the hill

[More_Cowbell]

9. I think maybe the headline should be false "parental" claims.

Not that I trust anything the DHS has to say.

[lark]

10. I'd bet they are faking the results, it's what they do.

Drumpf and DeVos are hugely profiting off these children and are torturing, caging, drugging, raping them and letting them die. Why wouldn't I believe a thing they said about these asylum seekers since everything so far as been vicious and hate filled amd against the children's interests.

[keithbvadu2]

12. What are DHS and Trump going to do with the children? Send them back to non-parents in whatever co

What are DHS and Trump going to do with the children?

Send them back to non-parents in whatever country?

[NickB79]

13. If a father is travelling with his child, but his wife cheated on him

That child wouldn't share his DNA and he'd never know it.

And this is NOT uncommon either. https://theconversation.com/what-are-the-chances-that-your-dad-isnt-your-father-24802

These results marry comfortably with DNA estimates of misattributed paternity from samples that cross a broad range of societies which suggest the rate is between 1% and 3%, and with Prof Gilding’s estimate of between 0.7% and 2%.

The number of children whose biological father isn’t their social dad is probably far smaller than you’ve been led to believe, although the 30% figure seems to be a zombie-statistic that refuses to die.

But even a 1% rate of misattributed paternity still adds up to millions of individual children, world-wide, each part of an interesting, sometimes tenuous and often heart-breaking story.

[TomVilmer]

15. The Human Rights about "family" are too restrictive

In most countries "family" are much bigger than the blood family. My big daughter lived far away with her aunt - which was not "her aunt". And do now still take care of this nice old lady, who was a distant aunt from a close friend. They are family, and do not care about DNA. And also - my "big daughter" had other parents, before she adopted me for the job!