DHS Shuts Down Internal Watchdog Agencies Advocating for Immigrants

[Social Media]

 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has decided to eliminate three internal watchdog agencies responsible for investigating complaints and advocating for immigrants, calling them unnecessary obstacles to immigration enforcement. The agencies, which had approximately 300 employees, played a crucial role in addressing concerns about detention conditions, green card and citizenship application delays, and the treatment of migrants in the U.S.

 

DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin confirmed the decision, stating that the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, and the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman were being dismantled due to their role in “obstructing immigration enforcement by adding bureaucratic hurdles and undermining DHS’s mission.” Employees of these agencies now face termination within 60 days unless reassigned within the department.

 

These watchdog offices were among the few internal mechanisms ensuring oversight of DHS’s immigration enforcement actions. They provided critical reports to Congress and offered information to immigrants facing deportation, many of whom lack legal representation. Former DHS Inspector General John Roth described the agencies as “the first line of defense when it comes to oversight.”

 

 

The Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, which employed over 150 staff members with a $46 million budget, focused on more than just immigration issues. It investigated complaints related to natural disasters, cybersecurity threats, and terrorism. In one notable case, the office examined an incident involving a federal agent mistreating a traveler in a wheelchair. The agency also investigated allegations of sexual assault in detention centers and discrimination against minorities and disabled veterans seeking employment at DHS.

 

The Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, which had over 120 employees, reviewed more than 11,000 complaints in 2023 alone. It conducted inspections and issued reports on detention conditions, advocating for improved treatment of detainees. The office even launched billboard campaigns informing detainees of their rights, which some Republican lawmakers opposed. One billboard read, “Your brother in immigration custody has rights. We’re here to help.”

 

The Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman, with its 45 staffers, handled 30,000 requests for assistance in 2023. Many of these involved individuals whose green card or work permit applications were rejected due to clerical errors, as well as those desperate to reunite with their families.

 

The office also processed appeals for immigrants seeking entry under the parole program, which was later discontinued by the Trump administration.

 

“Many of the requests are heart-wrenching; individuals detail the danger, hunger, and desperation that family members face in their home countries,” said then-acting ombudsman Nathan Stiefel in his annual report to Congress.

 

Despite the critical work these agencies performed, DHS maintains that their closure is necessary to “streamline oversight” and remove barriers to immigration enforcement. “Rather than supporting law enforcement efforts, they often function as internal adversaries that slow down operations,” McLaughlin argued. She emphasized that the move ensures taxpayer dollars are directed toward DHS’s primary missions: border security and immigration enforcement.

 

The decision has drawn significant criticism, particularly from Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee, who accused the administration of trying to eliminate oversight that could expose illegal or unconstitutional actions. Critics argue that dismantling these offices weakens the department’s accountability, particularly as aggressive immigration enforcement measures continue.

 

An official from the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, speaking anonymously, called the decision “senseless,” pointing out that the agency’s oversight helped identify unlawful behavior and contract fraud, ultimately saving DHS money by preventing lawsuits. “This is only for cruelty,” the official said. “You don’t fire organizations that save the agency money.”

 

The closure of these watchdog agencies marks a significant shift in DHS policy, reducing internal oversight at a time when immigration enforcement remains a contentious issue. Whether this decision leads to increased efficiency or exacerbates existing concerns about detainee treatment and due process remains to be seen.

 

Based on a report by WP  2025-03-24

 

 

[fdimike]

The US government has become a fascist state led by a degenerative megalomaniac.

[SLOWHAND225]

BRAVO !

[kimothai]

Well done!

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, SLOWHAND225 said:

BRAVO !

 

14 minutes ago, kimothai said:

Well done!

Why? You're happy when rights are taken away?

[thaibeachlovers]

56 minutes ago, stevenl said:

 

Why? You're happy when rights are taken away?

Illegals are criminals and not US citizens. IMO they have no right to "rights" in the first place.

Pandering to illegal criminals is woke and if it's gone, good job.

 

Seems to be a cohort of posters on here that think the rest of the world has a right to come and live in the US if they manage to cross the border. Would that Thailand was as easy to go live in- I'd be turning up on a rubber boat myself.

 

Does anyone on here think that if they overstayed their Thai visa they would have a Thai government department taking care of their "rights" .

 

 

[proton]

Asylum used to be for spies and the odd ballet dancer from the USSR. These day's it's little more than a scam for people who think they are entitled to leave the safety of their own country and break into another's for financial benefit. 

[kimothai]

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

 

Why? You're happy when rights are taken away?

Happy not wasting money on illegals

[SLOWHAND225]

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

 

Why? You're happy when rights are taken away?

There is a correct way to get into America, for those that do, come on in.  
For the rest of them, fawk off back to the rat hole you came from

[Red Forever]

19 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Illegals are criminals and not US citizens. IMO they have no right to "rights" in the first place.

Pandering to illegal criminals is woke and if it's gone, good job.

 

Seems to be a cohort of posters on here that think the rest of the world has a right to come and live in the US if they manage to cross the border. Would that Thailand was as easy to go live in- I'd be turning up on a rubber boat myself.

 

Does anyone on here think that if they overstayed their Thai visa they would have a Thai government department taking care of their "rights" .

 

 

You just didn’t read the article right through, as usual.

[Tug]

19 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Illegals are criminals and not US citizens. IMO they have no right to "rights" in the first place.

Pandering to illegal criminals is woke and if it's gone, good job.

 

Seems to be a cohort of posters on here that think the rest of the world has a right to come and live in the US if they manage to cross the border. Would that Thailand was as easy to go live in- I'd be turning up on a rubber boat myself.

 

Does anyone on here think that if they overstayed their Thai visa they would have a Thai government department taking care of their "rights" .

 

 

Ahh the op says immigrants 

[JonnyF]

Good. 

 

Another waste of money canned.