Trump is shaking up the federal government. And he’s just getting started.
Now the DHS ordered ICE to do the unthinkable.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ramped up its crackdown on leaks, subjecting employees to lie detector tests in an effort to expose those undermining immigration enforcement efforts.
For the past three weeks, DHS has been administering polygraph exams to root out insiders leaking sensitive details about upcoming immigration raids, a spokesperson confirmed to CBS News. It remains unclear how many employees have already undergone the tests.
The effort follows a directive issued on Feb. 18 by President Trump’s DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who ordered staffers to submit to polygraphs as part of an effort to stop sabotage within Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Noem’s move aims to ensure DHS operations are not compromised by those within its own ranks who are tipping off illegal immigrants.
“The Department of Homeland Security is a national security agency. We can, should, and will polygraph personnel,” a DHS spokesperson stated.
While polygraph testing has historically been used to vet new hires, Noem’s directive specifically targets employees suspected of leaking classified documents and law enforcement strategies.
The increased scrutiny comes just days after Noem revealed that two individuals accused of leaking details about ICE raids had been identified and referred to the Justice Department for felony prosecution.
“We have identified two leakers of information here at the Department of Homeland Security who have been telling individuals about our operations and putting law enforcement lives in jeopardy,” Noem said in a video posted on X.
“We plan to prosecute these two individuals and hold them accountable for what they’ve done,” she added. “And we’re going to continue to do all that we can to keep America safe.”
It’s unclear whether the two suspected leakers were caught through the polygraph screenings.
Noem and border czar Tom Homan have both pointed to these leaks as a key reason why ICE arrest numbers have been lower than expected. The leaked details have reportedly allowed criminals to escape before enforcement teams arrive, rendering major operations ineffective.
“Some of the information we are receiving tends to lead toward the FBI,” Homan told Fox News’ Sean Hannity last month.
In one instance, leaked information tipped off members of the notorious Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua, allowing them to flee before a major ICE operation in Aurora, Colorado, last month.
“We are sending a strong message — [the leaks are] just giving the bad guys a heads-up so they can escape apprehension,” Homan said. “You’re putting officers’ lives at risk.”
“It’s only a matter of time before we walk into a place where there’s going to be a bad guy who doesn’t care. He’s going to be sitting and waiting for the officers to show up and ambush them. This is not a game.”
Despite the high stakes, DHS has yet to respond to the New York Post’s request for comment.
