Homeland Security Department is stonewalling watchdog investigations, GOP senator alleges

During a Tuesday hearing with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, a GOP senator accused department officials of obstructing watchdog investigations. 

Specifically, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., cited a letter from the DHS Office of Inspector General, which he said alleged that department leadership in 10 instances either misled investigators or prohibited certain inquiries. 

“Does anybody have any idea how bad it has to be for the OIG in this agency to come out and do this publicly?” Tillis said. “That is stonewalling. That’s a failure of leadership. And that is why I’ve called for your resignation.” 

The lawmaker’s office did not immediately respond to a request to provide a copy of the letter. 

Tillis said that he would put procedural hurdles on several legislative activities until DHS responds to his questions with respect to the OIG’s letter and other matters. 

The senator, who is not running for reelection, also criticized Noem’s policy of reviewing any Federal Emergency Management Agency expenditure that is $100,000 or more, which he said has caused delays to hurricane recovery efforts, and the department’s handling of the killings of two immigration protestors in Minneapolis by federal agents. Those shootings have led to the ongoing funding lapse for DHS. 

“We’re an exceptional nation, and one of the reasons we’re exceptional is we expect exceptional leadership,” he said. “And you’ve demonstrated anything but that in the time that I’ve seen you responding to the emergency in North Carolina and across the southeast and acknowledging when mistakes are made and speaking too soon for the expediency of social media or whatever it is.”  

Likewise, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., in February accused DHS of threatening to halt OIG investigations into immigration-related operations. Specifically, she said the department’s general counsel repeatedly informed watchdog officials about a provision of law that authorizes the secretary to halt an audit or investigation for certain reasons, including to prevent the disclosure of sensitive information or protect national security. 

The DHS OIG has recently launched inquiries into: 

• Whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement 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 Customs and Border Protection conducts immigration enforcement in the country’s interior in accordance with federal rules. 

The watchdog office is led by Joseph Cuffari, who was confirmed during Trump’s first term and who was spared from the January 2025 mass firings of inspectors general. 

In 2024, a committee of agency IGs and other federal investigative officials substantiated allegations that Cuffari 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 him, but Joe Biden did not discipline him.