FBI Clears 1.8M DNA Backlog in 18 Months

1 min read

FBI Director Kash Patel announced this week that the bureau has cleared a backlog of over 1.8 million DNA samples in under 18 months, marking a major milestone in improving the FBI’s investigative capabilities. The backlog, which included DNA collected from federally convicted offenders, arrestees, and non-citizen detainees, was reduced to zero, according to the FBI’s Office of Public Affairs.

Backlog Reduction and Institutional Challenges

The backlog, under the DNA Fingerprint Act of 2005, required samples to be processed by the FBI Laboratory Division. Patel attributed the backlog to previous leadership and credited his team with overcoming the challenge. He emphasized that the backlog had nearly reached 2 million samples, violating statutory requirements and hindering the FBI’s ability to solve crimes.

Efforts to Modernize DNA Processing

Patel highlighted the FBI’s use of new resources, improved IT systems, and business analytics to address the backlog. The FBI processes approximately 50,000 DNA samples monthly, which are entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) for comparison with DNA evidence from unsolved crimes such as homicides, mass shootings, and sexual assaults.

Progress and Crime Trends

Patel noted that the backlog had been growing by about 75,000 samples per month and was reduced to zero. The bureau’s fiscal year 2027 budget request acknowledged the backlog reached 1.8 million by the end of fiscal 2024. During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Patel reiterated that the backlog had persisted for years before his confirmation and was now resolved.

Link to Crime Decline

The FBI reported a record drop in violent crime, with an estimated 18.1% decline in murder and non-negligent manslaughter in 2025, the largest year-to-year drop since 1936. Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley cited FBI data showing significant increases in criminal arrests during Patel’s tenure.

Source: Breitbart

Written by

Connor Davis