Wesleyan Trustee Ties to ICE DNA Program Raise Ethics Debate in Middletown

Wesleyan University in Middletown Faces Questions Over Trustee's ICE Connections

A February 20, 2026, opinion piece published in the Wesleyan Argus, the student newspaper at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, called attention to the university's institutional ties to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement through board trustee Marc Casper. Casper serves as Chairman and CEO of Thermo Fisher Scientific, a company that supplies DNA testing equipment used in federal immigration enforcement.

The Argus opinion piece argues that Casper's dual role as a Wesleyan trustee and leader of Thermo Fisher creates an ethical conflict for the university. Casper, a 1990 Wesleyan graduate and major donor, has pledged $25 million to the school. The student writers contend that by accepting his leadership and financial support, the university is implicated in the federal government's DNA collection practices targeting detained immigrants.

Thermo Fisher's Federal DNA Contracts

Thermo Fisher Scientific, through its subsidiary Life Technologies, holds a contract with the FBI to supply DNA processing equipment. According to the Wesleyan Argus, the contract is valued at $120 million. Federal spending data cited in the piece shows the contract volume increased from $15 million in fiscal year 2024 to $21 million in fiscal year 2025 to $26 million in fiscal year 2026.

The DNA testing kits supplied under this contract are used by ICE and Customs and Border Protection as part of a Department of Homeland Security policy, implemented in 2020, that mandates DNA collection from nearly all detained undocumented immigrants. The collected samples are stored permanently in the FBI's Combined DNA Index System, known as CODIS. Thermo Fisher is the sole provider of the DNA tests under the current federal contracts.

The $25 Million Donation and Board Role

Casper's $25 million pledge to Wesleyan represents one of the larger individual donations in the university's history. As a member of the Board of Trustees, Casper holds a governance role that gives him influence over university policy and direction. The Argus opinion piece characterizes his position as making Wesleyan "complicit in repression," arguing that the university benefits financially and institutionally from a figure whose company is central to ICE operations.

The opinion writers called on the university to address what they described as an ethical contradiction between Wesleyan's stated values and its acceptance of leadership and funding tied to immigration enforcement technology. No public response from Wesleyan University administration or from Thermo Fisher Scientific has been reported as of March 2026.

Federal DNA Collection Policy Background

The DHS policy requiring DNA collection from detained immigrants took effect in 2020. Under the policy, DNA samples are taken from individuals in federal immigration custody and entered into CODIS, a database originally created for law enforcement investigations of violent crimes. Civil liberties organizations have criticized the expansion of CODIS to include immigration detainees, arguing it represents an overreach of surveillance into non-criminal populations.

The policy applies broadly to individuals detained by ICE and CBP, with limited exceptions. Critics in the Wesleyan Argus described the practice as unconstitutional, though courts have not struck down the policy. The permanent storage of DNA samples means that individuals' genetic information remains in the federal database indefinitely, regardless of the outcome of their immigration cases.

Student and Campus Response in Middletown

The Wesleyan Argus opinion piece appears to be the primary catalyst for campus discussion of the issue. Wesleyan, a liberal arts university with approximately 3,000 students located in Middletown, has a history of student activism on social justice issues. The opinion piece calls on students and faculty to scrutinize the university's corporate relationships.

No student protests, faculty resolutions, or official university statements in response to the Argus piece have been reported. The controversy reflects a broader national debate about the ethical responsibilities of academic institutions that accept donations and governance participation from leaders of companies involved in federal enforcement programs.

The Argus opinion piece is available on the student newspaper's website. No upcoming university meetings, hearings, or official responses related to the issue have been announced.

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