By Steve Neavling
The Department of Homeland Security has begun administering polygraph tests to employees in an effort to identify those leaking information about immigration operations to the media, according to four sources familiar with the practice, NBC News reports.
The department’s use of polygraphs for this purpose was first reported by Bloomberg Government.
After the article was published, DHS issued a statement saying, “The Department of Homeland Security is a national security agency. We can, should, and will polygraph personnel.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Czar Tom Homan have blamed recent leaks for lower-than-expected ICE arrest numbers, arguing that publicizing planned enforcement operations has compromised their effectiveness.
In a video posted Friday on X, Noem said, “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.”
It remains unclear whether the two employees Noem referenced were identified through polygraph testing. The total number of DHS employees subjected to the tests is also unknown, but sources said those selected so far have worked in various agencies within the department.
Polygraphs are not new at DHS and have been used in the past, including for Customs and Border Protection’s hiring process. But according to sources familiar with the current effort, the so-called lie detector tests are now being used to question employees specifically about leaking classified documents and sensitive law enforcement details related to ICE operations.
