Congress probes Biden DHS over restrictions on inspector general, improper redactions

Republicans in Congress on Tuesday sent letters to the Department of Homeland Security and the agency's inspector general, kicking off a probe into allegations that the department has restricted its internal watchdog arm from conducting proper investigations and that it has requested "improper redactions" in reports to Congress. 

The letter, signed by Iowan Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Georgia Rep. Barry Loudermilk, specifically raises the concern that internal restrictions on the DHS Office of Inspector General will affect the ongoing probe into the attempted assassination of GOP presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump. 

The pair of letters were delivered to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari. 

"As Members of Congress who value and expect transparency and accountability within the federal government, we are very troubled by all instances where we receive heavily redacted reports," Grassley and Loudermilk wrote.

"As a result of the alleged DHS OIG access issues and the hurdles we’ve faced in obtaining unredacted reports, we are concerned that the Biden-Harris administration’s actions against the DHS OIG will extend to the ongoing reviews relating to the assassination attempt against former President Trump and request that any report be provided to Congress in unredacted form." 

Their concerns were spurred by an DHS letter earlier this month stating that there must be "appropriate safeguards" on any information that the inspector general's office would provide to Congress as well as directing "sensitivity reviews" on reports from the OIG for national security reasons. 

However, Grassley and Loudermilk say that Congress should not be restricted from receiving any information from the agency. 

"These statements from the Department, in conjunction with redactions placed on multiple reports, illustrates our primary concern – that the Department is creating a chilling effect regarding information the DHS OIG wishes to share with Congress and is imposing improper access restrictions," they wrote. "Simply put, absent a legitimate assertion of Executive Privilege, there is no category of information that Congress cannot receive." 

You can read the letters to Mayorkas and Cuffari below: 

The letter highlight several instances in which the OIG has experienced significant impacts on their audits and ability to analyze data because of Homeland Security's delays and access restrictions. 

For example, the Secret Service delayed OIG access to emails for seven months and, during that period, requested a reduced scope, citing the support of DHS leadership for the request.

The delays came "despite clear interest from multiple congressional committees in the matter, which clearly suggests the legitimacy of such a request," Grassley and Loudermilk wrote. 

The Hill Republicans requested all documentation and communications between the DHS, the OIG, and Secret Service about any delays or pressure to limit access or disclosure to Congress, reiterating the important role inspectors general play in providing timely information for the legislature to conduct proper oversight. 

"Inspectors General play an important oversight role to ensure integrity and efficiency in government. Congress expects total transparency and full cooperation from the Department with the DHS OIG and timely access to all records as required by law," they wrote.

"Additionally, Congress expects that the Department will not attempt to stop the DHS OIG from disclosing information to Congress or pose access issues to DHS OIG that can affect its ongoing or future work in any way, with specific emphasis on the work being done with respect to the attempted assassination against former President Trump."

The pair set a deadline of August 26 for the agency and the OIG to respond to their letters.