A new watchdog report reveals that dozens of USCIS employees with security concerns were left in sensitive positions, raising questions about national security.
- The report found that 10 USCIS staffers held national security positions for an average of about seven years after they were disqualified from holding a sensitive position or a security clearance.
- The IG made several recommendations, including that USCIS reevaluate the employees in national security positions without eligibility or a clearance and set timeframes for removing or reassigning employees after they've exhausted their appeal rights.
A new watchdog report has revealed that dozens of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) employees with security concerns were left in sensitive positions, raising questions about national security. The story was first reported by govexec.com.
According to the report, 10 USCIS staffers held national security positions for an average of about seven years after they were disqualified from holding a sensitive position or a security clearance.
The report also found that 13 USCIS employees were working in national security positions without a decision on file regarding their suitability for the role.
A suitability determination is a step in the federal government's personnel vetting process to gauge, after an investigation, if a staffer's 'character or conduct' is appropriate for the position.
The Office of Personnel Management this year finalized a rule expanding suitability determinations, which previously only applied to federal job applicants, to current civil servants.
Under the regulation, the HR agency can fire feds for post-appointment conduct.
The IG made several recommendations, including that USCIS reevaluate the employees in national security positions without eligibility or a clearance and set timeframes for removing or reassigning employees after they've exhausted their appeal rights.
The Timeline
The report found that some employees were left in sensitive positions for over a decade after their security clearance was denied.
For example, one individual stayed in such a position for more than a dozen years after their security clearance was denied.
The IG, however, said that it could not verify this because the agency did not provide documentation.
What The Filing Says
The report also found that some employees were subject to continuous vetting under Truste.
However, the IG noted that it could not verify this because the agency did not provide documentation.
The Impact
Allowing employees whom USCIS deemed a security risk to remain in positions where they may access highly sensitive information undermines USCIS's mission.
Further, such employees could make immigration decisions that gravely damage national security.
The report's findings have raised concerns about the effectiveness of USCIS's security clearance process.
The IG made several recommendations to address these concerns, including reevaluating the employees in national security positions without eligibility or a clearance and setting timeframes for removing or reassigning employees after they've exhausted their appeal rights.
The Next Steps
The report's findings have sparked calls for increased transparency and accountability in USCIS's security clearance process.
Some have argued that the report's findings are a symptom of a larger problem with USCIS's management and oversight.
Others have called for increased funding and resources to support USCIS's security clearance process.
The report's findings are a reminder of the importance of ensuring that sensitive positions are filled by employees who are eligible and suitable for the role.
Sources
- Govexec: $(function() { GEMG.HoverGroup.init({}); });
- Cityandstateny: $(function() { GEMG.HoverGroup.init({}); }); $(function() { GEMG.HoverGroup.init({}); });
- Defenseone: $(function() { GEMG.HoverGroup.init({}); }); $(function() { GEMG.HoverGroup.init({}); });
