UKBA drops DNA testing for asylum seekers

The UK Border Agency has suspended plans to test asylum seekers’ genetic origins by using DNA fingerprinting and isotope analysis. It was hoped that such testing (which would have been undertaken voluntarily) would help catch certain types of asylum seekers that claim to be from one country who hope that the troubles there will help their claim for asylum.

When the news of the “Human Provenance Pilot” broke in September many critised the science underpinning the research. It was argued that many “groups” know no borders and the project was therefore useless in establishing nationality.