The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) mission is to “ensure a safe, secure, and prosperous Homeland,” protecting the country from threats ranging from terrorism to natural disasters. That mission is now being undermined by growing corruption and chaos that have gone unchecked since President Trump returned to the White House. CREW President Donald Sherman is testifying today in a shadow hearing before the House Committee on Homeland Security to explain how the Trump administration’s actions have enabled corruption and prevented DHS from fulfilling its core mission.

Hours after attacking Iran without congressional authorization, Trump acknowledged that Americans should be worried about a retaliatory attack on the homeland. Yet DHS remains in disarray, raising doubts about whether it has the resources, staff, expertise and capacity needed to protect Americans amid global instability.

Since President Trump’s return to the White House, more than 24,000 employees have left or been fired from DHS, including hundreds from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which defends the nation’s infrastructure against cyberattacks. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has suffered from severe mismanagement, including deep funding and staff cuts. Billions in reimbursements have been postponed and contract approvals delayed, with consequences that directly affect “whether people live or die.”

DHS also failed to publish the annual Homeland Threat Assessment during Trump’s second term and has not updated the National Terrorism Advisory since last year. 

Meanwhile, DHS has been drawn into costly corruption scandals, including a $220 million advertising contract partially awarded to an ally of former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, extreme misconduct by DHS officers that resulted in the deaths of multiple U.S. citizens and obstruction of the Office of Inspector General, which reports being denied access to records in at least 10 investigations.

Trump’s second term has been marked by potential violations of the Constitution’s Emoluments Clauses, including violations related to DHS and national security. The Foreign Emoluments Clause bars the president from receiving profits, gains, or advantages from foreign governments without Congress’s consent. Nonetheless, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and UAE National Security Adviser, purchased a 49% stake in Donald Trump’s crypto venture, World Liberty Financial, for $500 million just before Trump took office in January 2025. Within months, the UAE gained access to roughly 500,000 tightly guarded, highly advanced American AI chips, after earlier efforts to obtain them were blocked over concerns the technology could be shared with China. 

DHS leadership has also allowed taxpayer funds to flow to Trump and his businesses, raising concerns about potential violations of the Domestic Emoluments Clause. That clause bars the president from receiving any profits, gains, or advantages from the federal government beyond salary and benefits, or from individual states.

In February, CREW filed a complaint with DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari over whether the sale of Trump‑branded wine and cider at Coast Guard Exchange System stores violates the Domestic Emoluments Clause. DHS is also facilitating other forms of Trump profiteering. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recruitment ads have appeared on Truth Social, owned by Trump Media & Technology Group. 

Trump’s constant presence at his properties requires the Secret Service to spend extensive time there. Those properties have charged Secret Service rates that at times exceeded government limits, including up to $1,185 per night at Trump’s D.C. hotel, more than five times the $201 per diem rate. This appears to be a deliberate effort to profit from the Secret Service, which is required to be there to protect him.

Corruption harms national security and makes everyone less safe. Profiteering at DHS has thrown the agency into turmoil and appears to have pushed critical needs such as threat assessments and cybersecurity down the priority list.

Congress should respond with vigorous oversight, legislation enforcing the Emoluments Clauses and appropriations language requiring DHS to fund urgent national security priorities. It must rein in this administration’s profiteering and restore oversight and accountability within the executive branch to protect national security. 

Read the testimony here.

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