In the past month, unknown federal employees have compromised several deportation raids by leaking information about them to the public, prompting U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem to announce that the leakers have been identified and will be fired.

Noem confirmed that more leakers are still being discovered and emphasized that there would be repercussions for their actions, which she warned jeopardized the safety of law enforcement officers and put their lives at risk. To identify the leakers, Noem and her team have used a variety of methods, including polygraph tests and reviewing emails and electronic communications. She condemned the actions of the bureaucrats involved, asserting that they were undermining efforts to ensure American safety for their own self-preservation. Leaks regarding planned raids, such as the one in Chicago, forced postponements, and other operations, like one targeting the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in Aurora, Colorado, were compromised when the gang was tipped off. Similarly, a raid in Los Angeles targeting the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang faced delays due to leaks, and Noem and former ICE chief Tom Homan speculated that dishonest FBI agents might be involved. In response to the leaks, the U.S. Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation, with officials pledging criminal prosecution for the leakers. The Heritage Foundation’s Lora Ries argued that the leakers should be prosecuted for obstructing a federal proceeding and obstructing justice, suggesting they should face public arrest, prosecution, firing, revocation of security clearances, loss of federal retirement, and a ban on future government employment.