Federal employees have recently compromised several deportation operations by leaking information to the public. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed on Monday that the individuals responsible for these leaks have been identified and will be terminated. “I’ve located a few leakers,” Noem stated in an interview, adding, “We are still receiving more. They will be fired,” and emphasized that there will be consequences for their actions.
Noem highlighted the serious risks posed by these leaks, stating, “When they leak information to the press to undermine our efforts, they are endangering the lives of law enforcement officers.” To identify the leakers, Noem and her team have been investigating and interviewing anyone who may have had access to the sensitive information, employing various methods including polygraph tests and reviewing emails and other electronic communications.
“It’s astonishing how some bureaucrats, motivated by self-preservation, are willing to betray their colleagues and jeopardize our safety efforts,” Noem remarked. She assured the public, “I am doing everything possible to find these leakers and eliminate them so that our law enforcement personnel can operate safely.”
Details of planned raids were made public last month as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) prepared for deportation operations, which were set to begin the day after President Donald Trump’s second inauguration. The disclosure of a raid in The Wall Street Journal led to the postponement of an ICE operation in Chicago. The following week, deportation efforts in Chicago were led by former ICE chief Tom Homan.
Another ICE raid targeting at least 100 members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TDA) in Aurora, Colorado, was compromised when the gang was tipped off, resulting in only one arrest. Similarly, an ICE operation in Los Angeles, home to the notorious Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang, was also jeopardized due to leaks. Both Homan and Noem suggested that corrupt FBI agents might be responsible for the leaks, with Noem stating, “The FBI is so corrupt.” To address this issue, they plan to collaborate with relevant agencies to prevent further leaks and hold accountable those involved.
Homan and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi have indicated that criminal prosecutions may be necessary, despite Noem’s commitment to terminate those responsible for the leaks. According to Homan, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has initiated a criminal investigation, promising that those found guilty will not only lose their jobs and pensions but may also face jail time. Bondi warned, “If you leaked it, we will find out who you are, and we will come after you.”
Lora Ries, Director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at the Heritage Foundation, stated in an interview that those who leaked details of ICE raids should face prosecution. She noted that their actions obstruct federal proceedings and violate multiple legal statutes. Ries argued that leakers perceive their actions as low-risk and high-reward due to a lack of punishment in recent years, suggesting that public examples need to be made to deter such behavior. She concluded that those responsible should be “publicly arrested, prosecuted, fired, have their security clearance revoked, and be barred from future government employment, grants, and contracts.”