White House border official Tom Homan told reporters on Thursday that a massive data breach at the Department of Homeland Security could put thousands of officers whose identities were made public at greater risk.
A “hacktivist” group on Wednesday published a searchable databaseof more than 41,000 names of DHS employees and contractors, including border and undercover agents.
The group said it wanted more oversight of the agency and its activities, which have faced public backlash since the launch of President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement crackdown.
Homan said the Justice Department is investigating the data breach. He noted that threats against and attacks on Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have increased sharply since Trump began his second term.
“I want the American people to know that ICE agents are mothers and fathers, too. They have families, too.” Homan said during a Miami news conference. “They don’t hang their heart on a hook when they come into work. They got a difficult job, a dangerous job.”
If members of the public don’t like what ICE is doing, Homan said, they should contact U.S. lawmakers and ask them to change the immigration laws that officers are enforcing.
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