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We're at DefCon1 levels of *gross mismanagement* @DHSgov at this point, where each day brings another massive scandal. So many of these scandals are unfolding at once, in real time, that it's worth highlighting the basic chronology of a few of them from past couple of weeks. 1/
(i) "Dept has been using major hotel chains to detain [hundreds of] children & families taken into custody at border, creating a largely unregulated shadow system of detention and swift expulsions." 2/ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/16/us/migrant-children-hotels-coronavirus.html
Some context: This comes at a time when the Administration is using the pretext of the public health crisis (Covid) to openly flout immigration law--ignoring asylum, deporting unaccompanied kids, and dreaming up further cuts to legal immigration. 3/ https://www.propublica.org/article/leaked-border-patrol-memo-tells-agents-to-send-migrants-back-immediately-ignoring-asylum-law
(ii) After a @USGAO report questions the legitimacy of the Dept's acting secretary & number 2, DHS & its general counsel (Chad Mizelle) issue a blistering, ad hominem attack on the author of the report, accusing him of being a pro-Democrat deep-stater. 4/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/08/14/top-dhs-officials-wolf-cuccinelli-are-not-legally-eligible-serve-their-current-roles-congressional-watchdog-agency-finds/
Some context: acting secretary, Chad Wolf, spent the summer turning DHS agents loose on peaceful protestors in Portland, leading the founding head of DHS, Tom Ridge, (among others) to say that the current Admin had "perverted" the mission of dept. 5/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/dhs-mission-creep-protests/2020/08/13/44a287ce-dc8b-11ea-b4af-72895e22941d_story.html
(iii) A whistle-blower complaint made public earlier this month stated that the top brass at the Dept had suppressed intelligence reports on Russian meddling & attempted to rewrite analyses of country conditions in Central America to bolster Trump. 6/ https://www.justsecurity.org/72451/whistleblower-dhs-suppressed-reports-on-central-america-and-inflated-risk-of-terrorist-border-crossers/
(iv) Arguably the most scandalous of all and woefully under-covered: This summer "ICE flew detainees to Virginia so the planes could transport agents to D.C. protests. A huge coronavirus outbreak followed inside the VA detention center." 7/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/coronavirus/ice-air-farmville-protests-covid/2020/09/11/f70ebe1e-e861-11ea-bc79-834454439a44_story.html?fbclid=IwAR2_W-HtbUneIFBn-dOBAeTWoXcLFQU7ziFJwNlNXZZHP32JB2JsmzOZiwk
(v) A whistle-blower complaint from a privately run immigration detention center in GA emerges, alleging systematic abuse, medical malpractice, and forced hysterectomies of immigrant women in custody. 8/ https://www.scribd.com/document/476013004/OIG-Complaint#from_embed
This is just a **partial list** from the past few weeks. I know I've left things out, and would be grateful for others' input, additions, emendations. end/
