The Creepy and Unconstitutional Government Database of Newborn Babies’ DNA

Expectant parents invite doctors and nurses into the delivery room, not police officers. But law enforcement agencies have backdoor access in New Jersey.

The intrusion starts within 48 hours after birth, when maternity ward workers prick an infant’s heel to collect blood for laboratory testing. The screening allows for early detection of rare conditions like cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease.

All states do this. But afterward they destroy the paper cards they use to collect dried bloodspots. New Jersey keeps the blood.

Read more at The Daily Beast.