Gutting Watchdogs and the Civil Service

The Blocked Watchdog

Watchdog: Noem's DHS Blocked Him at Least 11 Times. Trump Then Gave Her a New Post

Select a Section to Explore

Chapter 1 — A Watchdog Blocked by the Department He Watches

Chapter 2 — What the Restrictions Cost, and DHS's Defense

Chapter 3 — A New Secretary, and the Accountability Still Owed

1 · A Watchdog Blocked by the Department He Watches

1 · A Watchdog Blocked by the Department He Watches — select a subtopic

1.1 — Cuffari Appealed to Noem; She Considered Ending Inquiries Under §417(a)(2)

1 · A Watchdog Blocked by the Department He Watches

1.1 · A Watchdog Blocked by the Department He Watches

Cuffari Appealed to Noem; She Considered Ending Inquiries Under §417(a)(2)

DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari told Congress that Kristi Noem's department had blocked access his office needed for audits and criminal investigations. He said Noem asked for a list of pending inquiries so she could consider ending them under 5 U.S.C. § 417(a)(2). Three days later Trump, who had chosen Noem, praised her and announced a new post for her.

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Sources

[1]Letter from the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to the chairs and ranking members of three congressional committees, 'Re: Department of Homeland Security obstruction of OIG work', with two attachments

[2]The White House, presidential action, 'President Trump Announces Cabinet and Cabinet Level Appointments'

[3]Post by @realDonaldTrump announcing the succession, Truth Social status 116178030946996760 — the platform's own API record (raw JSON)

[4]U.S. Department of State, official transcript of remarks by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem at the Shield of the Americas Summit working lunch, Trump National Doral Miami

[5]DHS Office of Inspector General, Semiannual Report to Congress, April 1, 2025–September 30, 2025, message from the Inspector General and Restricted or Delayed Access to Information, pp. 2, 14–19

2 · What the Restrictions Cost, and DHS's Defense

2 · What the Restrictions Cost, and DHS's Defense — select a subtopic

2.1 — Investigators Lost Access They Needed to Check DHS's Work

2.2 — DHS's Defense, and the Written Notice the Law Requires

2 · What the Restrictions Cost, and DHS's Defense

2.1 · What the Restrictions Cost, and DHS's Defense

Investigators Lost Access They Needed to Check DHS's Work

DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari described barriers to checking border data, airport screening and national-security investigations. ICE revoked database access his office had used for about a decade. In a congressionally mandated audit of airport screening, denied access kept his office's analysis out of the draft report by its deadline. OIG also reported that the checkpoint testing uncovered a serious finding posing a security risk to the traveling public, which Cuffari reported to Noem in a classified letter in August 2025.

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Sources

2.2 · What the Restrictions Cost, and DHS's Defense

DHS's Defense, and the Written Notice the Law Requires

Under Secretary Kristi Noem, DHS argued that its inspector general had to define his requests and respect restrictions on classified information. Congress does let the Secretary restrict certain sensitive inquiries, but requires written reasons and notice to Congress. Cuffari said his office already supplied audit scopes and DHS had not invoked that process.

Read the full chapter — all the detail, fully footnoted →

Sources

[6]Rebecca Santana, Associated Press, Noem defends Homeland Security Department in post-shooting appearances before Congress, March 4, 2026, republished by News4JAX

[7]United States Code, 2024 edition, Title 5, Chapter 4, §§406 and 417, Office of the Law Revision Counsel / U.S. Government Publishing Office

[8]Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, minority release, Peters Announces Investigation of Potential Obstruction of DHS Inspector General’s Oversight and Communications to Congress, March 4, 2026

3 · A New Secretary, and the Accountability Still Owed

3 · A New Secretary, and the Accountability Still Owed — select a subtopic

3.1 — Where It Stood on October 10, 2026

3.2 — A Watchdog Must Be Able to Check the Department's Work

3 · A New Secretary, and the Accountability Still Owed

3.1 · A New Secretary, and the Accountability Still Owed

Where It Stood on October 10, 2026

Several DHS access problems ended, one after a 174-day wait for TSA biometric-program information. On October 10, 2026, the inspector general still listed the review tied to the attempt on Trump's life as ongoing, without saying whether the barrier had ended. By then Trump had replaced Noem with Markwayne Mullin. A different TSA audit reported timely cooperation during fieldwork spanning October 2024–June 2025, and reduced risks from changes completed before Noem's tenure.

Read the full chapter — all the detail, fully footnoted →

Sources

[9]DHS Office of Inspector General, Audits, Inspections, and Evaluations, report index current through September 29, 2026

[10]DHS Office of Inspector General, Covert Testing of TSA’s Checkpoint Security Screening Effectiveness, OIG-26-01, public highlights, November 2025

[11]DHS Office of Inspector General, Effectiveness of TSA’s Identity Authentication and Biometric Technology in Enhancing Screening and Protecting Passenger Privacy, OIG-26-27, unclassified summary, September 15, 2026

[12]DHS Office of Inspector General, Ongoing Projects, listing of DHS actions related to intelligence prior to the July 13, 2024 Butler, PA rally

[13]U.S. Department of Homeland Security press release announcing the successor's confirmation and swearing-in

[14]U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 'Leadership' page listing the department's senior officials

[15]DHS Office of Inspector General, TSA Took Steps to Reduce Security and Privacy Risks to Watchlist Data (Redacted), OIG-26-16, July 28, 2026, highlights and Appendix A

3.2 · A New Secretary, and the Accountability Still Owed

A Watchdog Must Be Able to Check the Department's Work

DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari reported systematic obstruction under Kristi Noem, the Secretary Trump chose. After that report went to Congress, Trump praised her and gave her another government post. The case for impeachment is that he used his appointment power to keep her in public service after her department's watchdog reported obstruction.

Read the full chapter — all the detail, fully footnoted →

Sources

[2]The White House, presidential action, 'President Trump Announces Cabinet and Cabinet Level Appointments'

[3]Post by @realDonaldTrump announcing the succession, Truth Social status 116178030946996760 — the platform's own API record (raw JSON)

[16]Joint letter to the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, from Ranking Members Robert Garcia (Oversight and Government Reform), Rick Larsen (Transportation and Infrastructure) and Bennie G. Thompson (Homeland Security)