May 15, 2025
DHS Halted 500+ Civil Rights Investigations When It Shut Down Oversight Office, Whistleblowers Say
Government Accountability Project files two new whistleblower disclosures from CRCL employees and medical subject matter experts.
WASHINGTON —Today, Government Accountability Project filed two protected whistleblower disclosures to Congress detailing the grave consequences of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) closure of the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL). Prior to its closure, CRCL advised DHS on civil rights and civil liberties issues as well as investigated complaints of violations by the public.
The first disclosure, filed on behalf of confidential CRCL employees who have chosen to remain anonymous because of fear of retaliation by DHS, recounts how in March 2025 DHS terminated the office’s statutory functions, revoked employee access to Department systems and offices, and froze hundreds of open civil rights investigations.
At the time of CRCL’s elimination, more than 500 civil rights complaints were open and under investigation, and hundreds more complaints were pending CRCL’s review. CRCL was investigating allegations involving multiple DHS components, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Federal Protective Service, and the Transportation Security Agency. These complaints involved allegations of medical neglect, sexual abuse, targeting...
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