The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is currently embroiled in a scandal after multiple insiders have come forward with claims of inappropriate demands made by Corey Lewandowski, a senior adviser to President Donald Trump. The allegations suggest that Lewandowski sought unauthorized access to a federally issued gun and badge, actions that have been described as "unethical" and "immoral" by sources within the agency.
Corey Lewandowski, who is a temporary "special government employee" at DHS, has a longstanding relationship with President Trump and is known for his close ties to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. According to reports from whistleblowers, Lewandowski's demands for a gun and badge surfaced during the selection process for a new ICE director earlier this year. Allegedly, Lewandowski asked then ICE New York field director Tom Feeley if he would be issued a gun upon taking the role. Feeley's negative response reportedly led to his removal from consideration for the position and his subsequent reassignment to a federal training center in Georgia, which some DHS officials believe was a direct result of the exchange.
The controversy heightened when sources claimed that senior legal officials at DHS and ICE were pressured to consider issuing firearms and credentials not only to Lewandowski but also to a group of his allies. This supposed initiative faced pushback from ICE officials who questioned the legal authority behind arming political advisers without arrest powers. The plan eventually unraveled amid concerns regarding background checks, legal authority, and prior conduct, including a leaked DHS memo that disclosed Lewandowski's past treatment for alcohol and substance abuse issues in 2022.
Further complicating matters, Kenneth Padilla, another DHS official, was allegedly placed on administrative leave and later transferred to FEMA after voicing objections to the proposed actions, which he deemed "unethical, immoral, and potentially illegal."
Lewandowski has vehemently denied the allegations, threatening legal action against those publishing the accusations and claiming he "never asked the federal government for a gun." He has also accused Tom Homan, the President's border czar, of being the source of the leaks.
Despite denials from officials loyal to Noem and Lewandowski, the allegations have sparked a significant backlash within the DHS, raising serious concerns about leadership, favoritism, and accountability within the Trump administration's immigration enforcement arm.
