Civil Rights Groups Sue To Restore Jobs At Homeland Security Oversight Offices That Were Gutted

Three advocacy groups are suing the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Kristi Noem , seeking to restore staff jobs at three gutted offices that oversee civil rights protections across the department's broad mission.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday by the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization, the Southern Border Communities Coalition, and the Urban Justice Center.

On March 21, Homeland Security said it was implementing a reduction in force at the three offices: the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, and the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman.

When asked about the lawsuit Thursday, department officials said they're "committed to civil rights protections" but called the three offices a roadblock.

"These offices have obstructed immigration enforcement by adding bureaucratic hurdles and undermining DHS's mission," the department said.