Democrats ask watchdog marked by past controversy to expedite reviews of ICE, CBP

More than 40 Democratic lawmakers on Monday requested that the inspector general for the Homeland Security Department, which is led by an official who has previously been the subject of substantiated misconduct complaints, expedite its reviews of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s and Customs and Border Protection’s operations. 

The members of Congress argued that urgency is necessary following the January killings of protestors Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis by federal officers and reports that federal immigration agents are entering people’s homes without a judicial warrant. 

“ICE agents have gotten out of control, using needlessly violent force against community members who are exercising their First Amendment rights and pose no threat,” wrote the lawmakers, which include Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and House Minority Whip Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass. 

According to its website, the DHS IG has recently launched inquires into:

• Whether ICE appropriately investigates allegations of excessive use of force and holds agents accountable.  
• DHS’ processes for determining U.S. citizenship for individuals it detains or arrests during immigration operations. 
• Whether CBP conducts immigration enforcement in the country’s interior in accordance with federal rules. 

The letter’s signatories, however, expressed concerns based on a January Government Accountability Office report that found DHS’ watchdog was not consistently meeting its timeline to complete audits within 397 days. 

The Democrats encouraged the IG to immediately notify DHS leaders if investigators uncover anything that could pose a “serious, imminent threat” to public safety and inform Congress if ICE or CBP refuses to cooperate with information requests. 

The lawmakers also requested that the IG address in these reviews:

• How many use-of-force claims the watchdog office has decided to — and not to — investigate since the start of Trump’s second term.
• The percentage of ICE arrests over the past four years that were respectively performed with a judicial warrant, an administrative warrant (issued by an agency rather than a court) or no warrant. 
• How many U.S. citizens have been arrested, detained or ordered to deported since Jan. 20, 2025.

The DHS IG did not respond to a request for comment. 

In 2024, a committee of agency IGs and other federal investigative officials substantiated allegations that Joseph Cuffari, the DHS IG, abused his authority and engaged in substantial misconduct, which mostly dealt with an outside investigation into former employees who questioned his qualifications. 

The panel recommended that the president take “appropriate action, up to and including removal” against Cuffari, who was confirmed during Trump’s first term, but Joe Biden did not discipline him.