Published Mar 23, 2026, 10:01 AM EDT Cristina Miceli is a travel news journalist who specializes in the passenger rail industry. Her passion for traveling began in 2019 when embarked on her first solo trip: a tour of the Middle East. After earning a Master’s degree in journalism, Cristina began a four-year-long trip around the world, traveling by train across three continents and offering readers insights into often underrated destinations, from Mauritania to Latvia to Gambia. Prior to contributing to TheTravel, Cristina worked as a reporter for The Cabo Sun and The Puerto Vallarta Sun in Mexico, as well as Sleepinginairports.net and Bookmundi.com. When she’s not writing, she can be found practicing Spanish guitar. Over the past few weeks, there have been a number of reports of travelers being denied entry into the United States for various reasons. For instance, an Italian entering the U.S. from Canada was turned away due to "national security" concerns, even though American border officers reportedly didn't provide any additional details or clarification. Meanwhile, another Canadian said they were refused entry and had their NEXUS revoked for using the wrong vehicle lane at the border checkpoint. Now, a similar story has emerged. A Canadian traveler claims he was forced to provide a DNA sample by U.S. border guards and was then refused entry into the U.S., despite having no criminal record. According to the traveler, the incident began when he revealed his travel plans to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers. Canadian Says He Was Forced Into A DNA Swab After Mentioning “No Kings” Rally Plans Protesters march down Fifth Avenue in New York to protest President Trump's autocratic rule, carrying "No Kings" signs.Credit: Shutterstock Kevin Larson, a 68-year-old Canadian retiree, recently spoke with journalist Phoebe Wall Howard about his experience crossing the Blue Water Bridge, linking Port Huron, Michigan, and Point Edward, Ontario. Despite having crossed the border several times before, on October 18, 2025, he says he was unexpectedly denied entry into the U.S. According to Larson, it all started when U.S. border officials asked him about the purpose of his visit, to which he replied that he was about to attend a “No Kings” rally. The “No Kings” protests took place in June and October 2025 in opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies. More than five million people participated in June, with nearly seven million attending the October demonstrations. The border official is then said to have asked Larson if he was carrying signs, to which he replied, "No." However, the officer reportedly noticed that Larson had a Canadian flag in his car, after which he allegedly smiled and said Larson had been flagged for a random check. The Canadian retiree says he was asked to sign a document declaring he wouldn’t help terrorists and was also required to provide a DNA sample. “I said I have never done that and that I wouldn’t do that. He said that I could be charged. I said that, for privacy reasons, I have never done a DNA test and wouldn’t do one. He again said I could be charged,” Larson wrote in a letter to Pete Hoekstra, U.S. ambassador to Canada. According to Larson, the U.S. border agent began to read from a document saying that failure to provide a DNA sample can result “in a (criminal, I think) charge with a sentence of up to 1 year in jail.” Concerned he may be refused entry into the U.S. in the future, Larson says he agreed to hand over his DNA sample. Despite this, after three hours, he says he was officially denied entry into the country. Larson Says U.S. Border Authorities Also Checked His Phone Larson explained that U.S. border officials also asked him to hand over his phone. Electronic device searches at the border rose from 47,047 in 2024 to 55,318 in 2025, a 17.6% increase, and new devices have now been added to the U.S. subject-to-search list. Larson replied that he was only carrying an old phone with no SIM card, after hearing concerning stories from other Canadians. Commenting on the experience, Larson said, “It was excessive, unnecessary, and disturbing.” U.S. CBP Officers Can Request DNA Samples In Some Instances US Customs and Border Protection officersCredit: CBP Photography/Wikimedia Commons According to the CBP website, U.S. CBP officials must collect DNA from some individuals to comply with the DNA Fingerprint Act of 2005. However, this is only necessary for the following categories of people: Individuals who are arrested Individuals facing criminal charges or convicted Non-United States persons who are detained under the authority of the United States for addition to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) CODIS The website specifies that “CBP is NOT collecting DNA from persons encountered under the following circumstances: aliens lawfully in, or being processed for lawful admission into the United States, aliens held at a Port of Entry during consideration of admissibility and not subject to further detention or proceedings.” In light of this, it remains unclear why CBP agents forced Larson undergo DNA sampling and then denied him entry, as he claims he has no criminal record. Furthermore, some Indigenous Canadians have been requested to provide blood quantum documentation to qualify for Jay Treaty privileges when crossing the border. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Canada note that eligible individuals must carry documentation proving they are "at least 50% of the American Indian race." Larson Urges Canada To "Beef Up" Its U.S. Travel Advisory The Canadian and American flag fly side by side at the border of the two countries.Credit: via Shutterstock Commenting on the events, Larson said, “I did look up the travel advisory to the U.S. I think it needs to be beefed up and Canadians need to be told that they can arbitrarily be asked to provide a DNA sample or face a charge with a maximum prison sentence of one year.” Over the last few months, Canada's U.S. travel advisory has been updated several times. For instance, on February 4, Global Affairs Canada added extensive information about the 2026 FIFA World Cup, noting that obtaining a ticket is not enough to enter the U.S. and that biometrics will be used at most ports of entry. Soon after, on February 19, the advisory was updated again, stating that acceptance of First Nations members' secure status cards is "entirely at the discretion of U.S. officials." At present, no section has been added about possible DNA swabbing. While the CBP’s official website claims DNA samples should not be required from most travelers crossing the border without a criminal record, recent events seem to prove otherwise. Everyone crossing the border from Canada into the U.S. should be prepared for every eventuality.