In a situation reminiscent of the recent American media uproar over a "Signal" app conversation, a federal employee mistakenly included a journalist in a detailed message prior to a governmental operation. According to NBC News, Jason Houser, a former Chief of Staff at ICE, along with a former Homeland Security official and a current official who requested anonymity, revealed this incident.
A veteran employee at the Department of Homeland Security accidentally sent non-classified details of an upcoming ICE operation to a journalist in late January. Unlike incidents involving Trump’s National Security Advisor Michael Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, both still in their positions, the DHS employee was placed on administrative leave. Last week, she was informed that the agency plans to revoke her security clearance.
The details of the DHS employee incident had not been previously disclosed. Experts suggest it raises questions about unequal punishment for unintentional leaks within the Trump administration. Mary McCord, a former official in the Justice Department’s National Security Division investigating mishandling or leaking of classified information, emphasized that both cases should be treated the same. McCord, now a law professor at Georgetown University Law Center, stated that both reflect negligence in handling sensitive information, potentially endangering U.S. government or military personnel.
McCord further asserted that breaches like the Signal chat should be taken seriously, as with the DHS employee’s case. The DHS employee on leave did not comment to NBC News. Officials who spoke did not wish to reveal her identity, fearing retaliation from pro-immigration enforcement individuals.