Arizona’s governor supports weeding out fake migrant families at border

PHOENIX — As the immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border continues, federal officials are looking for ways to identify fake families, a goal that is supported by Arizona’s governor.

While Gov. Doug Ducey wouldn’t comment specifically on whether he thought a program to test migrants’ DNA was part of the solution, he was steadfast in his support of weeding out migrants suspected of lying about their status as a family.

“I think we should address fraudulent families and I think we should prioritize public safety. That has to come first,” Ducey told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Mac & Gaydos on Tuesday.

“This is the most welcoming country in the world. People who are grabbing children and using them in a fraudulent way are not asylum seekers, they’re human traffickers.”

Department of Homeland Security officials announced May 1 that it would soon kick off the pilot program at two undisclosed border locations.

A DHS official said the department wants to find out if DNA testing can be a useful tool in combating the problem of children being trafficked across the border.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement sent a special investigative team to Yuma in April to root out the possible exploitation.

Tucson Sector Chief Roy Villareal told Arizona’s Morning News on May 2 that he believes the program will be successful.

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