This article is based on The Guardian’s July 11, 2026 investigation into alleged intimidation, forced reassignments and staffing cuts within DHS. (The Guardian)
A new investigation raises serious concerns about what may be happening behind the scenes at the Department of Homeland Security as the Trump administration expands immigration enforcement and restructures the federal agencies responsible for asylum, humanitarian protection and immigration oversight.
According to an investigation published by The Guardian, more than three dozen current and former DHS employees described an internal climate in which experienced government workers were allegedly pressured, reassigned, investigated or pushed out after questioning immigration policies they believed might be unlawful or inconsistent with the purpose of the immigration system.
The report is especially concerning because the affected offices were responsible for protecting some of the most vulnerable people in the immigration system, including asylum seekers, refugees, trafficking victims, survivors of domestic violence and families facing separation.
DHS Employees Describe a Campaign of Fear
The Guardian reported that career DHS employees who questioned certain immigration policies allegedly faced threats of termination, arrest, loss of security clearance or involuntary reassignment.
Some employees reportedly underwent polygraph examinations that lasted as long as six hours. Several employees said they were read their Miranda rights before questioning, making them believe they were being treated as subjects of a criminal investigation.
Although the polygraph examinations were described in writing as voluntary, employees reportedly understood that refusing to participate could result in the loss of their security clearance and, ultimately, their jobs.
According to the investigation, some of the polygraph examinations were administered by individuals who identified themselves as members of the United States Air Force. The Air Force reportedly stated that any examinations of DHS personnel would have been conducted under DHS authority. DHS did not respond to The Guardian’s detailed questions before the investigation was published.
Forced Transfers and Reassignments
Employees also described being ordered to transfer to unfamiliar positions, different agencies or offices located in other states.
In some cases, workers were allegedly given only a few days to decide whether to accept the reassignment. Employees who could not relocate because of family obligations, housing, medical needs, or financial responsibilities were left with limited options.
Some resigned. Others accepted government buyouts. Some remained in their positions despite serious concerns about the direction of the agency.
These transfers may have removed experienced attorneys, policy analysts and humanitarian specialists from the areas where their knowledge was most needed.
Offices Protecting Vulnerable Immigrants Were Dismantled
The reported restructuring affected divisions responsible for:
- Refugee and asylum policy;
- Temporary Protected Status;
- Humanitarian parole and related programs;
- Protections for victims of human trafficking;
- Immigration benefits for survivors of domestic violence;
- Family reunification;
- Complaints involving ICE and Customs and Border Protection; and
- Investigations involving deaths in immigration detention, excessive force and violations of detainees’ rights.
A former USCIS attorney told The Guardian that career employees were allegedly pressured to approve or support policies they considered immoral, unlawful or historically inconsistent with the mission of the immigration system.
Employees who objected were reportedly removed from projects, reassigned or pushed out of government service.
DHS Civil Rights Oversight Has Been Severely Reduced
The investigation also describes major reductions within the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
This office has historically investigated complaints involving immigration detention, discrimination, excessive force, access to medical care, and other possible civil rights violations involving DHS agencies.
More than 100 employees were reportedly dismissed from the office in March 2025, leaving approximately 600 investigations frozen. A subsequent court review reportedly found that fewer than 40 employees remained in the office.
Of nearly 6,000 complaints received, the office reportedly directly investigated only 183—approximately 3%. Previously, the office reviewed a substantially larger percentage of the complaints it received.
The Immigration Detention Ombudsman’s Office, another important oversight body, was also reportedly reduced from 118 employees in 2025 to only five employees.
These cuts matter because immigrants in detention and their families often depend on these oversight offices when they cannot obtain answers from ICE, detention facilities or other DHS agencies.
What This Means for Immigrants
The reported internal pressure at DHS does not mean that every USCIS, ICE or CBP officer is acting unlawfully. Many career employees continue to perform their duties professionally and in accordance with the law.
However, the allegations raise serious concerns about whether experienced immigration professionals are being removed and whether legal and humanitarian safeguards are being weakened.
Immigrants may experience:
- Longer processing delays;
- Less consistent decision-making;
- More aggressive requests for evidence;
- Increased scrutiny of asylum and humanitarian applications;
- Greater difficulty correcting government errors;
- Fewer meaningful investigations of complaints;
- Reduced assistance for detained immigrants and their families; and
- More decisions based on enforcement priorities rather than humanitarian considerations.
The loss of experienced personnel may be particularly damaging in complicated cases involving asylum, trafficking, domestic violence, medical emergencies and family separation.
Immigration Officers Must Still Follow the Law
No presidential administration has unlimited power over the immigration system.
USCIS, ICE, CBP and other DHS agencies must continue to follow federal statutes, regulations, constitutional protections, and binding court orders. Immigration officers cannot legally deny a case simply because an applicant is unpopular or because an employee feels pressured to reach a particular result.
Applicants may still challenge unlawful denials, unreasonable delays, detention conditions, and violations of due process through administrative appeals, federal court litigation, and other legal procedures.
However, protecting these rights often requires careful documentation and immediate legal action.
What Immigrants Should Do Now
Anyone applying for an immigration benefit should keep complete copies of every application, supporting document, notice, receipt, and communication with the government.
Applicants should immediately review any request for evidence, notice of intent to deny, interview notice, removal hearing notice, or other government correspondence. Missing a deadline can seriously damage a case, even when the government made an error.
Immigrants should also avoid relying on verbal statements from officers or unofficial online advice. Important communications should be documented whenever possible.
Those in immigration detention should provide family members or attorneys with their A-number, detention location, immigration documents, and emergency contact information.
Most importantly, applicants should obtain individualized legal advice before filing applications, responding to government requests or making decisions that could affect their immigration status.
Shepelsky Law Group Is Ready to Protect Your Immigration Case
The immigration system is becoming more aggressive, less predictable, and increasingly difficult to navigate without experienced legal representation. Government restructuring does not eliminate your legal rights, but it may make those rights harder to enforce.
At Shepelsky Law Group, we represent immigrants in asylum cases, removal proceedings, family-based immigration matters, humanitarian applications, waivers, appeals, and other complex immigration cases. We carefully document our clients’ claims, respond to government errors and fight to ensure that immigration agencies follow the law.
Do not wait until your case has been denied or you have been placed into removal proceedings. Contact Shepelsky Law Group today at (718) 769-6352 or visit www.ShepelskyLaw.com to schedule a consultation.