The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General must investigate allegations that a longtime political ally of President Trump solicited and received assistance from Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel to take action to detain the mother of his child amidst a custody dispute. CREW sent a letter to the DHS OIG calling for a full investigation into these serious allegations, which, if true, would violate multiple executive branch and ICE rules regarding professional conduct. 

Last June, Paolo Zampolli, President Trump’s special envoy for global partnerships, reportedly reached out to ICE personnel after learning that his Brazilian ex-girlfriend was in a Miami jail on fraud charges. Zampolli, who was in a custody battle with his ex over their teenage son, apparently  “explain[ed] that his ex was in the country illegally” and asked if she could be put in ICE detention, which could help him gain custody of  his son. The ICE official allegedly called agency  personnel in Miami “to ensure that ICE agents would pick up the woman from the jail before she was released on bail.”

The allegations regarding ICE personnel’s response to Zampolli could potentially violate several rules that govern the conduct of ICE employees. The Standards of Ethical Conduct for Executive Branch Employees outlines that “[e]mployees shall not knowingly make unauthorized commitments or promises of any kind purporting to bind the Government.” Further, the Standards of Ethical Conduct also require that “[e]mployees shall act impartially and not give preferential treatment to any private organization or individual” and that employees may not use their public office for private gain, whether it be their own or someone with whom they are affiliated. ICE official David Venturella’s reported quick response to a personal request for enforcement action from the president’s political ally suggest both that ICE provided Zampolli with preferential treatment because of his political ties and that, regardless of the underlying merits, that enforcement action was not pursued in an impartial manner. Although Zampolli has denied the allegations, the DHS OIG must investigate these and other potential violations of agency-specific policies. 

In recent months, ICE has faced intense scrutiny about training and law enforcement practices following the shooting deaths of two American citizens by DHS personnel in the course of aggressive immigration operations in Minnesota and reports that the Trump administration is struggling to defend ICE enforcement actions in court. Reports of ICE bending to political influence to weaponize detention is yet another example of an agency run amok. A quick and thorough review is essential to determine if legal and ethical standards were violated, and to prevent further violations in the future. 

Read the letter here.

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