Support Inspector General Cuffari and Demand DHS Accountability

I am writing to urge you to take immediate action regarding the serious obstruction allegations made by Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari against Secretary Kristi Noem and DHS leadership. These allegations, detailed in a letter to Congress released Tuesday, represent a fundamental threat to oversight and accountability. Inspector General Cuffari has documented at least 10 investigations where his office has been systematically denied access to records and information required by law. The specific obstructions are alarming. ICE revoked access to its Enforcement Integrated Database after the OIG had used it for audits for 10 years. DHS revoked access to a database tracking which employees can access classified information, hindering investigations involving national security. TSA is blocking access to the Secure Flight System database, and Border Patrol has resisted providing access to a database tracking arrests, detentions, and releases. Most troubling is Secretary Noem's request that the OIG provide a list of all pending matters, including criminal investigations, so she could consider terminating them. Additionally, DHS set conditions on information access that would have required the watchdog to reveal investigation details to individuals who may themselves be under investigation. These actions violate the law and undermine the independence that makes inspectors general effective. Inspector General Cuffari stated clearly that this lack of cooperation violates longstanding principles between internal watchdogs and the agencies they oversee. Even DHS General Counsel James Percival's accusation that the OIG is engaging in fishing trips misses the point. Cuffari has made clear his office is not seeking unfettered access but rather the ability to conduct legally mandated oversight. Senator Thom Tillis emphasized the severity of an embedded department official publishing a letter about obstruction by the secretary. This bipartisan concern should prompt congressional action. I urge you to support Inspector General Cuffari, demand full restoration of database access, and hold Secretary Noem accountable for these obstructions. Oversight cannot function when those in power block investigators from doing their jobs.