Homeland Security Makes Cuts To Offices Overseeing Civil Rights Protections

The Department of Homeland Security is making cuts to three key offices that oversee civil rights protections across its broad mission, suggesting that they were impeding immigration enforcement efforts.

A spokeswoman for the department, Tricia McLaughlin, said in a statement Friday that it was implementing a "reduction in force" for 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.

President Donald Trump has made downsizing the federal government a key policy goal.

Federal agencies were directed to submit by March 13 plans that would not only lay off employees but eliminate positions altogether and consolidate programs. The DHS developments were first reported by The New York Times.

McLaughlin said Homeland Security is "committed to civil rights protections" but said these offices were a roadblock to immigration enforcement.