Job Cuts Impact Civil Rights Oversight at DHS Amid Broader Federal Reductions
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is undergoing significant restructuring, affecting its civil rights oversight functions. Amid a larger federal workforce reduction, key DHS offices are experiencing layoffs, raising concerns about the future of immigration oversight.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem addresses DHS staff at headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 28. Image Credit: Manuel Balce Ceneta/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
The DHS spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, confirmed that the layoffs will impact the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, and the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman. These offices play crucial roles in overseeing immigration-related issues.
“These offices have obstructed immigration enforcement by adding bureaucratic hurdles and undermining [the department’s] mission,” McLaughlin stated. “Rather than supporting law enforcement efforts, they often function as internal adversaries that slow down operations.”
The ombudsman offices are vital in providing oversight for the DHS’s immigration portfolio. They work with detention issues involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement and assist with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in resolving matters related to immigration benefits. More information on their functions can be found here and here.
Despite these changes, McLaughlin emphasized, “DHS remains committed to civil rights protections but must streamline oversight to remove roadblocks to enforcement. These reductions ensure taxpayer dollars support the Department’s core mission: border security and immigration enforcement.”
The job cuts follow an initial round of layoffs in February, which affected 405 DHS workers across various sectors, including cybersecurity, disaster response, and science and technology. The USCIS experienced a reduction of fewer than 50 employees. More details on these developments were reported by Bloomberg.
In response to the impending cuts, Democratic Senators Gary Peters and Dick Durbin urged Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to reconsider, warning that reducing the CRCL could undermine DHS’s statutory obligations. They wrote, “A decision to eliminate the CRCL office or make significant reductions in CRCL staff will jeopardize DHS’s ability to comply with statutory requirements and to protect the civil rights and civil liberties of the American people.” Their full letter can be accessed here.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
