Homeland Security reassigns 'hundreds' of CISA cyber staffers to support Trump's deportation crackdown

TechCrunch
TechCrunch
2M ago
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is reallocating hundreds of CISA employees to support immigration enforcement, raising concerns about cybersecurity preparedness.
Homeland Security reassigns 'hundreds' of CISA cyber staffers to support Trump's deportation crackdown
A What happened
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reallocating hundreds of employees from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to support the Trump administration's immigration enforcement initiatives. This decision involves moving staff from key cybersecurity units, including those responsible for enhancing the cybersecurity posture of federal agencies and managing international partnerships. The reassignment raises alarms about the potential impact on the U.S.'s ability to defend against increasing cyber threats, especially as recent weeks have seen a surge in cyberattacks targeting both private companies and federal systems. DHS officials assert that personnel realignment is routine and does not compromise national security, although the specifics regarding whether these roles will be backfilled remain unclear. The move comes as the administration has prioritized immigration enforcement, backed by substantial funding for deportation efforts.

Key insights

  • 1

    Impact on Cybersecurity: Reassigning CISA staff may weaken the U.S.'s cybersecurity defenses.

  • 2

    Immigration Enforcement Focus: The Trump administration prioritizes immigration enforcement with significant funding.

Takeaways

The reassignment of CISA staff raises critical questions about the balance between immigration policy and national cybersecurity readiness.

Topics

Technology & Innovation Cybersecurity