The Trump administration fired all civil rights branches of the Department of Homeland Security on Friday, obstructing the agency responsible for overseeing President Trump's immigration crackdown.
According to the current five government officials, more than 100 staff members have been on leave and are said to be officially fired in May. Trump also closed the Ombudsman for citizenship and immigration service, another office responsible for scrutiny of the administration's legal immigration policy.
The move was the latest attempt by Trump to eradicate civil rights division and surveillance mechanisms across government agencies. However, the Homeland Security Agency's closure for civil rights and civil liberties was particularly pronounced given the administration's lack of transparency in the repression of immigrants.
Trump was decided in his second term to ensure that his administration is a fostering of loyalty that will not try to block his agenda.
Just this week, the Trump administration covered federal judges in plaster seeking information on the use of 18th century wartime law to expel immigrants with little or no legitimate proceedings to Salvadoran prisons.
“It's their totally light-empt demonstration against their power check,” said Deborah Freishaker, former Civil Rights Bureau workers' director of immigration and customs enforcement under the Biden administration. She said the office “spented to make the DHS mission work with respect for civil rights, civil liberties and privacy.”
“This is a clear message that these things aren't important to this administration,” she added.
Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the decision was intended to “rationalize surveillance to enforce obstacles.”
“These offices have hampered immigrant enforcement by adding bureaucratic hurdles and undermining the mission of the DHS,” McLaughlin said. “It often serves as an internal enemy that delays operations, rather than supporting law enforcement efforts.”
The office is investigating allegations from immigrants, their families and the public.
In one example, in 2021, the office investigated the remaining use of the Trump administration in Mexican policy, forcing immigrants to wait in Mexico until an immigration court appearance.
The final report found that the administration has put unaccompanied children and people with mental health and other medical problems in the program.
The Civil Rights Office also oversaw other agencies under the Department of Homeland Security, including the Transportation Safety Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
