DHS Conducts Polygraph Tests to Identify Immigration Raid Leakers
The Department of Homeland Security has begun administering polygraph tests to employees in an effort to identify staff members who may have leaked information about immigration enforcement operations to the media. Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the agency has already identified two individuals responsible for unauthorized disclosures and plans to pursue prosecution against them for allegedly compromising operational security.
This escalation in internal security measures comes as the Trump administration faces challenges in its ambitious immigration enforcement agenda, with officials repeatedly citing information leaks as a significant obstacle to successful operations. The controversial move raises questions about employee privacy and whistleblower protections within federal agencies.
Internal Memo Outlines New Polygraph Policy
According to a memo to DHS employees reported by Bloomberg Government, Secretary Noem has instructed that all polygraph tests now include questions specifically about “unauthorized communications with media and nonprofit organizations.” The directive cites the “deleterious effects” of leaks on immigration enforcement operations, and notes that responses could affect whether personnel can continue to access classified information or hold sensitive positions.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin confirmed the polygraph initiative in a statement to The Independent, saying: “The Department of Homeland Security is a national security agency. We can, should, and will polygraph personnel.” McLaughlin had earlier acknowledged the practice on social media, responding to reports about the tests by writing, “Yes have been saying this for weeks.”
While polygraph testing is not new at DHS—the agency has historically used such methods when screening new hires, particularly at Customs and Border Protection—sources familiar with the current practice told NBC News that the tests are now being administered across different agencies within the department, specifically targeting questions about leaked classified documents or sensitive law enforcement information.
Officials Claim Leaks Jeopardize Operations and Safety
In a video posted to social media platform X on Friday, Secretary Noem stated: “We have identified two leakers of information here at the Department of Homeland Security who have been telling individuals about our operations and putting law enforcement lives in jeopardy. We plan to prosecute these two individuals and hold them accountable for what they’ve done.”
Border czar Tom Homan has been particularly vocal about his concerns regarding leaked information. Last month, Homan told Fox News: “You’re putting officers’ lives at risk. It’s only a matter of time until we walk into a place and there’s a bad guy who doesn’t care, he’s going to be sitting in wait for the officers to show up and ambush him. This is not a game.”
Both Noem and Homan have repeatedly blamed lower-than-expected Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest numbers on leaks that allegedly revealed which cities federal agents were targeting. It remains unclear whether the two employees Noem mentioned were identified through polygraph tests, and the exact number of staff who have undergone or will face such examinations has not been disclosed.
Mixed Results in Immigration Enforcement
The administration’s broader immigration enforcement efforts have faced significant challenges beyond alleged information leaks. ICE detention centers are reportedly already at capacity, while Congress has yet to approve a substantial increase in funding for enforcement activities. Federal judges have also blocked certain aspects of the administration’s immigration strategy, including attempts to target churches.
Despite these obstacles, border crossings have seen a significant decline. Approximately 8,450 people were apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border during Trump’s first full month in office, according to CBS News cited by The Independent, marking the lowest level in more than two decades.
However, civil rights groups attribute this drop to what they describe as illegal and unconstitutional threats to legal immigration pathways. These include ending asylum claims, eliminating a government app to process asylum appointments, and reinstating the “Remain in Mexico” program, among other measures.
Legal and Political Ramifications
The DHS push to identify and prosecute leakers comes amid broader legal moves by the administration on immigration policy. The Justice Department has filed lawsuits against New York and Illinois over their “sanctuary” policies that limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
Homan has also suggested that the Justice Department could prosecute organizations—and potentially even lawmakers like Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—for offering “know your rights” seminars to communities targeted by immigration raids. Such legal threats have further intensified the already contentious debate over immigration enforcement tactics.
The administration has simultaneously moved to restrict legal immigration pathways, threatening funding for refugee resettlement while expediting deportations. Plans also include utilizing the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to detain immigrants marked for deportation.
Privacy and Employment Concerns
The use of polygraph tests to identify leakers raises significant questions about employee privacy rights and the reliability of such methods. Often referred to as “lie detector” tests, polygraphs measure physiological indicators such as blood pressure, pulse, and respiration while subjects answer questions. However, the scientific validity of polygraph testing has been questioned by experts, and results are generally not admissible as evidence in criminal court proceedings.
Federal employees do have certain whistleblower protections designed to shield them when reporting waste, fraud, abuse, or illegal activity. However, those protections typically don’t extend to unauthorized disclosures of classified or sensitive law enforcement information to the media.
Employment lawyers and civil liberties advocates often express concern about the use of polygraphs in workplace investigations, noting their potential for false positives and the stress they can cause employees. The expanded use of such tests specifically targeting media communications may face scrutiny from employee rights organizations and potentially legal challenges.
Looking Forward
As the administration continues its aggressive approach to immigration enforcement, the internal hunt for leakers adds another dimension to an already complex policy area. The outcome of any prosecutions against the alleged leakers identified by Secretary Noem will likely set important precedents for how the administration handles information security and employee communications moving forward.
The use of polygraph tests represents just one aspect of the administration’s broader efforts to maintain operational security around immigration enforcement actions. However, the tension between these security measures and concerns about transparency, employee rights, and the proper channels for reporting potential misconduct will likely continue to generate debate within government and legal circles.
