In a recent development, Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, has called for an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) into whistleblower claims regarding the diversion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents at the border. The allegations suggest that these agents have been reassigned to provide sandwiches to migrants, leading to the neglect of crucial investigations into child exploitation and drug trafficking.
According to Senator Hawley, the whistleblower states that agents have been instructed to abandon ongoing investigations and instead focus on providing food and escorting migrants to showers. This diversion has resulted in child exploitation suspects and fentanyl dealers evading indictment, including child molesters. Senator Hawley confronted DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas last week about these allegations, revealing that approximately 600 agents have been relocated to the southern border.
In response, Secretary Mayorkas argued that the agents were being utilized in combating the fight against fentanyl. However, Senator Hawley emphasized that the whistleblower’s testimony contradicts this claim, stating that the agents were specifically pulled from fentanyl interdiction, child exploitation cases, and other criminal investigations to fulfill non-law enforcement tasks such as making sandwiches for illegal immigrants. The senator demanded clarification from Secretary Mayorkas regarding the validity of the whistleblower’s claims.
While DHS personnel have been deployed to achieve law enforcement objectives, including targeting transnational criminal organizations involved in smuggling and human activity, it has been revealed that these agents often find themselves assisting with processing procedures rather than conducting criminal investigations. The DHS has made significant efforts to increase staffing at the border, including deploying active-duty troops and requesting additional personnel and resources.
Senator Hawley’s letter to the OIG highlights the concerns raised by multiple whistleblowers who have contacted his office. These whistleblowers have reported that they are frequently assigned to “babysit” illegal immigrants, providing them with better food than their own children receive. Most alarmingly, the whistleblowers claim that important criminal investigations have been halted, resulting in suspects not being arrested or indicted due to the reassignment of agents.
In his letter, Senator Hawley argues that the diversion of agents to the border is not only poor policy but may also be in violation of existing regulations. He urges the OIG to thoroughly investigate the program and its operations, including the number of agents reassigned and the impact on ongoing criminal investigations.
The issue raised by Senator Hawley underscores the ongoing challenges faced by immigration enforcement agencies and the need for effective allocation of resources. As the Biden administration works to address the complexities of immigration, it is crucial to ensure that the diversion of agents does not compromise the pursuit of justice and the safety of American communities.
(Contributor: Brandon Gillespie; Reporting by Adam Shaw; Contact: [email protected]; Twitter: @AdamShaw2)
