1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

DHS’s introduction of polygraph tests to find leakers is a disturbing step toward authoritarian control, prioritizing executive loyalty over transparency (NBC News, March 7, 2025). Government agencies serve the American people, not the president, and efforts to silence whistleblowers undermine democratic accountability. Creating a culture of fear within DHS shifts its focus from national security to suppressing dissent—an approach more common in autocracies than democracies. This move also weakens checks and balances by discouraging those who expose corruption and abuse. Whistleblowers are essential to a free press and an informed public, both fundamental to American democracy. When agencies act as tools of executive power rather than independent institutions, they erode public trust and set a dangerous precedent for government overreach. You must ensure our federal agencies and their staff remain free of political agendas.