Thompson Statement on Redacted Travel Ban Inspector General Report
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General report on the implementation and roll out of President Trump’s first travel ban:
“The heavily redacted Inspector General’s report on the roll out of President Trump’s first Muslim ban is a massive indictment of the Administration’s senior leadership at the Department of Homeland Security. Despite knowing that the executive order would be issued soon, former Secretary John Kelly and other senior officials involved in its roll out, like current Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, seemingly kept CBP in the dark for unknown reasons. According to the report, CBP was receiving tips from outside the Administration to figure out what was expected of them. It is clear that botched and uninformed management decisions caused the chaos was saw at many airports last year when CBP Officers were given unclear directions. This incompetence and lack of professionalism by senior leadership puts the Department’s national security mission at risk.”
“Lastly, the redactions included in this report raise more questions. Former Inspector General John Roth stated that the Department’s decision to invoke ‘deliberative process privilege’ regarding this report was troubling. I agree. If these redactions are not intended to protect national security interests, then they are nothing more than the Department covering up its past actions. The Trump Administration is now keeping both Congress and the American people in the dark.”
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