US EditionCuts to DHS Watchdogs Spark More Questions as Deportation Efforts Increase
UNITED STATES, JUL 8 – DHS cut oversight staff by over 90%, raising concerns amid 11 deaths in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody this fiscal year, advocates and whistleblowers said.
- In March 2025, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem drastically reduced staffing at three immigration oversight offices from hundreds to about a dozen, effectively bringing their functions to a halt.
- The closures occurred amid a rapid increase in detainees and at least 11 deaths in ICE custody this fiscal year, raising concerns about accountability and oversight.
- Advocates and whistleblowers argue that dismantling these offices weakens civil rights protections despite DHS claims that oversight impeded enforcement and efficiency.
- Katie Shepherd, impacted by staff reductions and a whistleblower, testified before Congress that oversight needs to be strengthened rather than reduced, while DHS states that all necessary functions remain ongoing.
- The administration plans to rebuild the offices with a phased approach, but critics warn staffing challenges and unresolved complaints, including medical neglect, put detainees at risk.
21 Articles
21 Articles
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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is casting off government oversight as she carries out President Donald Trump's mass deportation orders, according to a report.At least 11 people have died while in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement since the start of the fiscal year — one sho...
Cuts to DHS watchdogs spark more questions as deportation efforts increase
Three months after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shut down three oversight offices, slashing staff from hundreds to a dozen, advocates and whistleblowers say the move gutted an already fragile accountability system.
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