Trump Shuts Down DHS Civil Rights Office in Oversight Purge
Office tasked with investigating complaints against ICE shuttered, leaving future oversight in question.
WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security has closed its Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, effective Friday, with employees told they will be paid through May 23 as operations wind down. The move is part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to reduce government oversight in his second term.
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The office, created under the 2002 Homeland Security Act, advised DHS leadership on civil rights and liberties issues and investigated complaints related to the agency’s activities, including immigration enforcement and disaster response. It employed about 90 people and had an annual budget of approximately $22 million.
Until today, Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia was the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, a Trump appointee, has not commented on the closure. Department officials did not respond to requests for clarification on whether the office’s functions will be reassigned.
The decision follows Trump’s pattern of targeting oversight bodies seen as hindering policy goals. Since his January 2025 inauguration, the administration has moved to streamline agencies, a strategy that mirrors efforts during his first term to limit the office’s influence on immigration policies.
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Civil liberties groups have criticized the closure, pointing to the office’s role in addressing issues like migrant detention conditions. Congressional Democrats have also raised concerns, though no immediate legislative response has emerged.
The shutdown leaves uncertainty about how DHS will handle civil rights complaints moving forward, with some experts predicting a shift to external oversight or scaled-back enforcement. For now, the focus remains on Trump’s push to reshape federal agencies to align with his administration’s priorities.
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