The Department of Homeland Security is ‘unapologetic’ about using lie-detector tests on staffers as it aims to snuff out ‘leakers’ who feed internal agency information to the public, Fox News Digital learned.
‘Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS is unapologetic about its efforts to root out leakers that undermine national security,’ Tricia McLaughlin, DHS’ assistant secretary for public affairs, told Fox News Digital Monday. ‘We are agnostic about your standing, tenure, political appointment or status as a career civil servant – we will track down leakers and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.’
McLaughlin’s response follows Politico’s Friday reporting that the department had administered a lie detector test in March to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Chief Cameron Hamilton following a meeting between DHS and an advisor to President Donald Trump, Corey Lewandowski.
The test ultimately cleared Hamilton, according to the outlet, as officials worked to determine if information from the meeting had been leaked. The meeting reportedly focused on Trump administration efforts to ‘eliminate’ FEMA – an agency Trump repeatedly has railed against for not doing its job in effectively aiding citizens during disasters.
The use of polygraph tests at intelligence and national security agencies is not new, with the FBI, CIA and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives all using polygraph tests as part of background and security checks for potential agents or investigators, respective agency websites show.
The FBI reported that in addition to a long history of using polygraph machines to screen potential hires, the bureau has increasingly used lie-detector tests on staffers who handle sensitive information since 2001, when the FBI arrested one of its own, former agent Robert Hanssen, for spying for Russia.
The Pentagon additionally announced in March that it was launching an investigation into alleged leaks of information concerning national security, which could include polygraph tests for employees in the Defense Department, Fox Digital previously reported.
DHS had previously vowed it would use polygraph tests to weed out staffers who leaked information on immigration raids, citing that the department is a ‘national security agency.’
‘The Department of Homeland Security is a national security agency,’ McLaughlin posted to X in response to a message from February that DHS planned to polygraph staffers who may have leaked information. ‘We can, should, and will polygraph personnel.’
Secretary Kristi Noem issued an internal directive in February explaining polygraphs administered by DHS must include a question about unauthorized communication with media outlets and nonprofits, according to a report by Bloomberg Government.
Border czar Tom Homan speculated in February that an internal leak tipped off illegal immigrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Colorado and California. The leaked intel allegedly allowed Tren de Aragua gang members to evade arrest at the time.
The department already uses polygraph exams during the hiring process of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and agents in order to determine ‘suitability for employment’ and ‘in support of internal and counterintelligence investigations,’ according to the agency’s website.
‘The federal government uses the polygraph exam to understand an applicants’ past behavior, personal connections and personal integrity,’ DHS said on a web page explaining why it administers polygraph exams to CBP applicants. ‘Almost every Border Patrol Agent, Customs and Border Protection Officer, and Air and Marine Operations Agent who has joined CBP has taken, and passed, a Polygraph Exam.’
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this article.