The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is set to use lie detectors as it seeks to track down officials leaking information about immigration raids.
Concretely, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem issued an internal directive last week saying that polygraphs administered by the agency would include a question about unauthorized communications with media and nonprofits, Bloomberg Government reported.
Responding to the report, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a post on X that the agency "can, should and will polygraph personnel." The message was then reposted by the DHS' official account.
The Department of Homeland Security is a national security agency.
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) February 19, 2025
We can, should, and will polygraph personnel. https://t.co/lapRAv4CCa
The development follows accusations from Noem and border czar Tom Homan about the danger posed by the leaks. Earlier this month they pointed toward the FBI over leaks regarding upcoming "large scale" ICE immigration raids in Los Angeles.
"Some of the information we've been receiving tends to lead toward the FBI," Homan said in an interview with Fox News in early February. "I've talked to the Deputy Attorney General this weekend, they've opened up a criminal investigation and promised this person will not only lose her job or pension, they will go to jail," the official added.
It is not the first such leak in the context of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. ICE postponed in late January a raid in Aurora, Colorado, after media reported about the operation, claiming it was putting agents' security at risk.
Homan said he is moving toward finding the person responsible for the latest leak and will make sure criminal charges are pressed. "We're sending a strong message. It's not just giving the bad guys a heads up so they can escape apprehension, giving gangs a heads up so we can't arrest them. You're also putting officers lives at risk. It's only a matter of time before we walk into a place where a bad guy doesn't care and ambush them," he said.
DHS Secretary Noem was also vocal in her criticism of the DBI, calling the agency "corrupt" and saying the department "will work with any and every agency to stop leaks and prosecute these crooked deep state agents to the fullest extent of the law."
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