New in PJ Media:
You have to understand: the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has had far more important things to do than worry about minor things such as, you know, homeland security. The agency has been too busy, too dreadfully, frightfully busy, to be concerned with enforcing the most elementary safety procedures and collecting security cards from employees who have left the organization. After all, what could possibly go wrong? What could a disgruntled former employee do at the wholly innocuous DHS that would cause any difficulty for anyone?
A report that was published Thursday from the DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) stated that “the Department of Homeland Security did not always terminate personal identity verification (PIV) card access or withdraw security clearances for separated employees and contractors in accordance with Federal regulations and Department policies.” This negligence has been going on for at least four years: “In 2018, we identified weaknesses in DHS’ controls over PIV card collection, revocation, destruction, and management oversight.” Yet nothing has been done:
Many of the issues we previously reported remain, and further work is required to improve and enhance processes. Specifically, DHS has not prioritized ensuring that PIV cards are terminated when individuals no longer require access. We determined that, in thousands of cases, DHS did not promptly revoke PIV card access privileges or destroy PIV cards of individuals who separated from the Department. In addition, DHS did not always promptly withdraw security clearances of individuals who separated from DHS.
The report noted that it was impossible even to tell how big this problem is, but there are at very least “thousands” of problematic incidents: “We determined that, in thousands of cases, DHS did not promptly revoke PIV card access privileges or destroy PIV cards of individuals who separated from the Department.” But the problem could be much, much bigger than even that: “In addition, DHS did not always promptly withdraw security clearances of individuals who separated from DHS. Unfortunately, we could not determine the exact magnitude of the problem because records in DHS’ information systems were incomplete.”
This has potentially catastrophic consequences: “DHS cannot ensure only authorized individuals have access to its controlled systems and facilities. As a result, there is a risk that individuals who no longer require access to systems and facilities could circumvent controls and enter DHS buildings and controlled areas.”
Clearly the DHS has been far too consumed with its duties to care about such trivial matters. Last spring, rather than worry itself about trivialities such as unauthorized people gaining access to areas containing sensitive or classified information, it rolled out the Disinformation Governance Board. According to the office of Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), “the Disinformation Governance Board was originally conceived in part to monitor domestic speech regarding ‘conspiracy theories about the validity and security of elections’ and ‘disinformation related to the origins and effects of COVID-19 vaccines or the efficacy of masks.’”
There is more. Read the rest here.
wpm says
Maybe it is time to disband DHS ? they seem more of a threat to the average law abiding taxpayer freedom then protection from terrorist .
BTeboe says
I totally agree. What was supposed to be an agency to protect us from the foreign terrorist threat has been turned and used against US citizens. The Patriot Act was a covert way to rob us of our rights under the Bill of Rights with warrantless searches at the airport and other transportation modes. Congress has outsourced its law making power to the alphabet agencies.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
That, as well as the FBI, CIA and at least 15 of the other 17 intel agencies we have. Y’know, the ones that claimed that Russia hacked the 2016 elections
Keith O says
Stop it WPM, your using that common sense thingy again.
Major Tom says
No problem! How many Senators and Congressmen could pass a national security check?
wpm says
How many Senators and people in congress or their families do inside trading with companies that they were elected to regulate ? How many them or their families are involved with private “nonprofits” that help front terrorist organizations like BLM or the Moslem brotherhood, or some of the stranger branches of the CAIR tree? That whole summer of love thingy in 2020 were over 2 billion dollars of damage and over 20 people killed thousands hurt the three letter agencies as far as I could see steered clear of any positive law enforcement or trying to solve what organizations were bankrolling it or responsible . WE are going into the “very very very important” Jan 6 hearings 2 years later where one person unarmed died at the hands of Capital square badge cop. Mostly minor vandalism ,no arson .everyone involved arrested .The three letter agencies censoring twitter spreading lies about a sitting president feeding MSM leaks of non-sense stories.