DHS warned its independent watchdog that Noem can kill its investigations, senator says
Source: NBC News
Feb. 6, 2026, 6:14 PM EST / Updated Feb. 6, 2026, 6:42 PM EST
The Department of Homeland Security’s general counsel warned the agency’s independent watchdog that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem asserts that she has the power to unilaterally kill their investigations, according to a new letter sent by Illinois Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth to Noem.
The DHS inspector general’s office states that its mission is to “provide objective, independent oversight of DHS programs and operations and to promote excellence, integrity, and accountability within DHS.”
In a meeting with DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari, Duckworth learned that DHS general counsel communicated multiple times with DHS OIG to “remind them” that Noem has the power to kill investigations by his department, according to the letter obtained by NBC News. Duckworth says she also learned the IG’s office was also asked on Jan. 29 to disclose “every active audit, inspection and criminal investigation,” which the lawmaker writes is “extremely unusual, perhaps even unprecedented.”
She wrote, “I fear that repeated tacit threats from your Office of the Secretary to DHS OIG may have already succeeded in weakening DHS OIG’s operational independence- as evidenced by DHS OIG’s unusual lack of activity and engagement in the days that followed the fatal shooting of U.S. citizen Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents.”
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dhs-independent-watchdog-noem-duckworth-investigations-rcna257846
Link to Senator Duckworth PRESS RELEASE - Duckworth Meets DHS IG and Reiterates Her Demand for Independent Investigations into Trump Agent Killings
DHS IG denied my request for more coordinated investigations into Trump’s lawless agents.
— Tammy Duckworth (@duckworth.senate.gov) 2026-02-07T02:44:08.126Z
Then, I learned Kristi Noem repeatedly reminded DHS’s IG that she can unilaterally kill any investigation.
Why would she do that? 🤔
Feels like a threat to me.
Link to tweet
@SenDuckworth
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DHS IG denied my request for more coordinated investigations into Trump’s lawless agents.
Then, I learned Kristi Noem repeatedly reminded DHS’s IG that she can unilaterally kill any investigation.
Why would she do that? 🤔
Feels like a threat to me.
NBC News: DHS warned its independent watchdog that Noem can kill its investigations, senator says
9:40 PM · Feb 6, 2026
