Immigration and Customs Enforcement wants to know which detained migrants test positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
According to Reuters, ICE plans to begin testing some migrants in detention before deporting them to other countries.
ICE will acquire 2,000 tests per month from the US Department of Health and Human Services to screen deportees.
The unnamed source is a US official, who did not say when the screening was expected to begin.
The move follows criticism from foreign governments about receiving migrants infected with virus.