The Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) is utilizing polygraph exams to determine who may very well be leaking data to information retailers, with some company officers contending the disclosed data has hampered immigration enforcement efforts, a number of retailers reported.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem ordered in an inner directive, first reported by Bloomberg Authorities final month, that each polygraph examination carried out by the division has to function questions on unapproved communication with nonprofit teams and media retailers.
“The Department of Homeland Security is a national security agency,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin mentioned in an emailed assertion to The Hill’s accomplice, NewsNation. “We can, should, and will polygraph personnel.”
The U.S. Customs and Border Safety (CBP), a part of the DHS, has beforehand utilized the so-called “lie detector” exams on new hires on the company.
Each Noem and President Trump’s Border czar, Tom Homan, have pinned the blame for immigration enforcement raids being revealed forward of time and the substandard U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) numbers of arrests on inner leakers.
“Their job is dangerous enough. So we are going to address this very seriously,” Homan informed reporters in early February.
Noem mentioned in a video posted Friday on X that the DHS has recognized two “criminal leakers” inside the division and that they are going to be referred to the Division of Justice (DOJ) for “felony prosecutions.”
“These individuals face up to 10 years in federal prison,” Noem mentioned. “We will find and root out all leakers. They will face prison time & we will get justice for the American people.”
It’s unclear what number of DHS staff have been polygraphed thus far. It’s also not clear if the 2 workers Noem referenced within the Friday video had been noticed with the assistance of the lie detector check.
Staff inside varied businesses underneath the DHS umbrella have been requested to take a polygraph check, NBC Information reported on Saturday, citing a number of sources accustomed to the matter.
The Hill has reached out to DHS and CBP for remark.
NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group which additionally owns The Hill.
