Up First from NPR The Americans caught in ICE’s web of surveillance
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Apr 5, 2026 
Kat Lonsdorf, NPR correspondent, and Meg Anderson, NPR reporter on law and accountability, dig into how Americans and lawful residents are getting swept into ICE surveillance. They explore DNA collection, street-level intimidation, facial recognition and location tracking, anonymous online critics being unmasked, and the legal fights over speech, privacy, and protest.
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Ben Says ICE Took His DNA After Arrest
- Minneapolis resident Ben said a masked federal officer body-slammed him while he filmed an ICE operation, then agents detained him for three hours.
- ICE fingerprinted him, photographed him, and swabbed his cheek for DNA; days later he learned he had three cracked ribs.
DNA Collection Powers Reach Beyond Fingerprints
- Meg Anderson said federal law gives DHS broad authority to collect DNA after arrests, but legal scholars warned that power is unusually invasive and may be too broad.
- Erin Murphy noted DNA can expose ancestry and health risks, while Oren Kerr asked what happens when police collect it after an unlawful arrest.
Observers Say ICE Turned Street Encounters Personal
- Kat Lonsdorf reported that Minneapolis observers said ICE quickly identified them, photographed their cars, and recited home addresses during street encounters.
- Emily said an agent yelled her name and address from a vehicle; others said officers followed them home and pounded on their windows.