A whistleblower claimed on Monday that a senior Trump administration official abused his authority by entering into a series of last-minute deals with the union of immigration and customs officials that could undermine radical changes in President Joe Biden’s policy.
The letter released by the Government Accountability Project, which was sent to Congressional committees and the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security, claims that Ken Cuccinelli, the department’s former second in command, signed a set of agreements with the ICE union, which endorsed former President Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020.
“Agreements grant [the union] extraordinary power and benefits – far more than what DHS agreed with its other employee unions that did not endorse President Trump. The agreements give the union the ability to delay changes in immigration policies and practices indefinitely, ”says the letter, written by David Seide, a lawyer with the Government Accountability Project. “In addition, under the terms of the contracts, the ICE expressly waives the statutory management rights that the negotiating parties know they should not waive. Even more shocking, the agreements try to ban any challenge to its validity for eight years. “
According to the Government Accountability Project, the agreement could give the ICE union “veto authority unprecedented in many areas” and increase the use of agency resources. The letter was first reported by the New York Times.
The group claims to be representing the whistleblower, who is a current government official and “has information on significant acts of misconduct committed” by Cuccinelli.
The controversial acting deputy secretary also signed a series of agreements that required DHS to provide local jurisdiction notifications about changes in immigration policy, giving them six months to review and submit comments. The state of Texas, which signed one of the agreements, ended up suing DHS for implementing a deportation moratorium, claiming it violated the contract.
The letter states that the government has 30 days to officially disapprove of the union agreement.
A union representative did not immediately return a request for comment.
Cuccinelli told the New York Times that the deal “is totally legal and appropriate, or we would not have executed it”.
“I totally deny any mismanagement, waste of government funds and any misuse of authority,” he said.
In its first week, the Biden government issued new priorities for ICE officials as of February 1, including that they should focus on immigrants who were considered a threat to national security, were arrested at the border after November 1, 2020. , or were was convicted of a felony.
“This abuse of authority is shocking,” concludes the letter from the whistleblower. “When the evidence is collected – the moment of the last second of the agreements, his excessive transmission of power and benefits, his supposed invulnerability and Mr. Cuccinelli’s extraordinary involvement – it is clear that they are another example of the previous government’s effort in its hourly decline to cement a legacy at the taxpayer’s expense. We recommend that you investigate immediately and act promptly as you deem necessary. “