MyHeritage Offers Free DNA Tests to Help Reunite Separated Migrant Children w/Parents

People have wondered about these families being reunited and as an adoptee who's finally found her bio families using DNA, I can certainly attest to DNA tests being a decent option if enough are willing to participate. (Bolding below is mine)

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180621006211/en/MyHeritage-Offers-Free-DNA-Tests-Reunite-Separated

June 21, 2018 03:14 PM Eastern Daylight Time
LEHI, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MyHeritage, the leading international family history and DNA company, announced today that, following the recent separation of children from parents in immigrant families in the United States, the company is expanding its pro bono initiative, DNA Quest — which helps reunite adoptees with their biological families through DNA testing — to help those parents who were detained at the border reunite with their children. The company is pledging 5,000 additional free DNA tests for separated parents and children who are interested in this opportunity.

For the DNA kits to reach the affected people, MyHeritage has begun contacting relevant government agencies and NGOs that are able to provide assistance with distribution of the DNA kits — to parents in detainment facilities and to their children placed in temporary custody. MyHeritage is also calling the public to assist — anyone who can help with the distribution of the DNA kits and is in touch with the separated families is requested to contact dnaquestsupport@myheritage.com. The DNA results will be processed by MyHeritage and not shared with any third parties.

In recent months, the detention of migrant families involved divergent paths for parents and children, making it hard and sometimes impossible for each to track the other through the separate systems. Parents who crossed the border into the United States illegally have been placed in Department of Homeland Security detention, while their children were sent into the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The children were subsequently placed in government facilities or foster care, resulting in separation from parents, who are often unable to locate or communicate with their children. In recent months, the ORR has not always been able to identify children on behalf of the parents searching for them and children are not always notified of their parents being deported, lessening the chances of the parents and children ever being reunited. DNA testing can accurately match between parents and their children, enabling parents to locate their children and reunite with them once the parents are released from custody or deported.

“In light of the humanitarian tragedy that has taken place, in which children have been separated from their parents, we have decided to rise to the challenge and take the lead in helping these families,” said Gilad Japhet, Founder and CEO of MyHeritage. “By expanding our DNA Quest pro bono project to include families separated by the current U.S. border crisis, we hope to use the power of DNA testing yet again to do good, and to reunite parents and children who might otherwise never see one another again.”