US government administers lie detector tests on staffers to stop 'leaks'

At least one top Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) official is said to be among numerous federal staff recently compelled to take polygraph tests following alleged leaks of sensitive DHS plans. As per a report, around have been subjected to lie detector examinations, including a FEMA administrator and approximately a dozen officials from the emergency management agency, in efforts to put an end to the spillage of consequential national security details.

Insiders briefed on the matter revealed that at least one individual has been placed on administrative leave and was escorted from the agency's premises this week post-polygraph testing. "We are agnostic about your standing, tenure, political appointment, or status as a career civil servant," commented DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin in an email communication to the news outlet.

"We will track down leakers and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law," McLaughlin asserted with assurance. There is rising apprehension that these lie detector tests might target federal personnel even for disclosing unclassified information to the press – concerns intensified by the fact that, according to insiders, FEMA deals with classified intelligence quite infrequently.

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Whistleblower advocacy groups conversing with journalists have expressed their misgivings, terming the polygraph usage as out of the ordinary, disconcerting, and possibly against the law. All this scrutiny falls on the backdrop of reports stating that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had pledged to "eliminate FEMA" as the hurricane season looms on the horizon.

CNN has also dropped a bombshell report revealing that top from FEMA and Homeland Security huddled together last month to chew over the fate of the disaster relief agency, including how they might go about shutting it down. The high-stakes meeting saw the likes of Noem, FEMA's Acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton, and Corey Lewandowski – a staunch confidant – mull over scrapping the executive order that breathed life into a FEMA Review Council, reports .

Insiders are whispering that if this order gets axed, it could spell a swift end for the agency. This potential move is just the latest in a series of jabs and uppercuts that have put FEMA on the ropes, sparking worry about whether it can duke it out with the upcoming hurricane season.

"March is typically when we're finalising hurricane plans. A lot of that got paused," spilled a FEMA official who's in the trenches of disaster response. "So, it's already having an impact, which is that we're not preparing."

In a previous scoop, the outlet revealed that FEMA's workforce was hit with an email dubbed "Hiring Update," laying down the law that new hires would now need a thumbs-up from Secretary Noem's squad to stay on board beyond their current 2- to 4-year stints.

A leaked memo also revealed that the majority of public-facing jobs at FEMA that are critical for disaster response aid to communities are currently under scrutiny. These roles, known for their hands-on approach in times of crisis, encompass a wide array of duties from assessing damage post-disaster to managing recovery hubs and aiding victims in the registration process for assistance.

According to one FEMA insider: "It's practically everybody that goes out in the field," and "They are the backbone of the response, particularly in sustaining operations."

The review majorly affects those in positions such as the Cadre of On-Call Response Employees (CORE), Reservists, Local Hires, and Temporary Full-time Employees. The Government Accountability Office released figures that highlight CORE and Reservists forming about 74% of FEMA's workforce.

Another official at FEMA disclosed: "I think their terms will be allowed to expire, and they won't be renewed," Furthermore, the official voiced a deep concern: "I don't know that it will really be felt until something big and bad happens. And I think the really scary thing is that states are now afraid to complain, because they're afraid of what the fallout will be."

One worker expressed their frustration, saying that rather than gearing up for the hurricane season, they've been bogged down with administrative tasks. "It's now a fear of, what else?" they lamented.

"Are we able to get back to work and focus? Our feeling is, no, there will be something else that will pop up that's going to require a lot of our attention."