Inspector General Finds Dozens of USCIS Workers in Sensitive Roles Despite Security Flags

A Homeland Security inspector-general review uncovered that USCIS retained dozens of employees in national-security posts after they were flagged as security risks or denied clearances. Auditors identified ten staffers who remained in sensitive jobs for about seven years on average, including one who served over a dozen years after a clearance refusal, and 13 others who had no suitability decision on file. The report warned that such practices could expose immigration decisions to coercion or foreign influence.

DHS officials, citing a senior official’s letter, argued the agency barred un-cleared workers from classified work and that continuous vetting under Trusted Workforce 2.0 mitigated risk. They also noted that 48 employees were removed or reassigned and 52 left during appeal processes. The IG recommended a systematic review and clear timelines for removal or reassignment, which DHS formally accepted while contesting some omissions. Redactions in the report limit full public insight into several cases.