ICE whistleblower alleged agency was shortcutting vetting process for new hires

An official who oversaw the vetting of Immigration and Customs Enforcement recruits warned last year that the agency was shortcutting vetting procedures for new hires, according to a whistleblower complaint.

The official, whose name was redacted in the document, previously served as unit chief for ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility. The complaint, submitted to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General in August 2025, was filed as the agency was ramping up hiring of ICE agents. 

ABC News obtained a copy of the complaint from the whistleblower’s attorney. 

“The systematic failures, detailed in this memorandum, constitute a direct violation of federal law, DHS directives, and national security policies,” the complaint states. “The deliberate circumvention of personnel vetting and clearance procedures has placed DHS at grave risk of insider threats, infiltration, and reputational harm.”

The official wrote that the agency was issuing final job offers “prior to any preliminary vetting by the personnel security division.” The complaint also states that applicants were being granted favorable “preliminary suitability determinations without fingerprinting, identity verification, or credit checks.”

“The result is a historic lowering of vetting standards where proper risk mitigation is sacrificed to onboard personnel quickly,” the official wrote. “This creates a systematic vulnerability to infiltration, insider threats, and exploitation by adversaries.”

The former official also alleged that “political appointees within DHS have been granted national security eligibility without undergoing the required background investigations.” The complaint cited Corey Lewandowski, a former senior adviser to DHS, as an example, alleging he was “the subject of derogatory findings that should’ve rendered him both unsuitable for federal service and ineligible for national security eligibility.”

“These findings were disregarded, resulting in an improper clearance determination,” the official wrote.

A spokesperson for Lewandowski did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment. Lewandowski served as a de facto chief of staff for former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem until she was fired by President Donald Trump in March 2026.

The official concluded that the primary risks from improper vetting include national security threats, insider compromise and the erosion of public trust in the agency.

In a statement to ABC News, Kevin Owen, the attorney representing the whistleblower, said his client was “met with immediate retaliation by DHS.”

“He was interrogated, unjustifiably threatened with criminal charges, and placed on leave for over ten months,” Owen said.

“Our client was never presented with any allegations of misconduct or wrongdoing, nor was there any explanation of a valid reason for his exclusion from the workplace,” Owen said. “Faced with this stress and mistreatment by DHS, our client chose to retire early.”

DHS said the agency “does not comment on matters regarding personnel who are no longer with the agency.”

“The ICE Office of Professional Responsibility diligently applies the proper personnel vetting regulations, including guidelines for national security, and evaluates all available information for every applicant based on these factors,” a spokesperson for DHS said in a statement to ABC News.

The whistleblower’s attorney added that while DHS has “reversed its course on some of the most dangerous lapses in the vetting process,” many improperly vetted agents remain on duty.

“We urge DHS to initiate a review of all ICE officers who were not properly verified to ensure they meet suitability standards, and to remove these unvetted officers from active duty until they appropriately receive clearance,” Owen said.

The DHS spokesperson said ICE training will now be extended to 72 days from 42 days.