Marrch 26, 20155

VIA EL
LECTRONIIC TRANS
SMISSION
N
The Honorable Jeh Jo
ohnson
y
Secretary
Department of Homeeland Securitty
Washing
gton, DC 205
528
Dear Seccretary Johnsson:
I write to sharre my conceerns about th
he findings inn the Departm
ments Inspeector Generaals
investigaation into em
mployee com
mplaints abou
ut managemeent of U.S. C
Citizenship aand Immigraation
Services (USCIS). The
T Inspector Generals report
r
paintss a clear pictture of how M
Mr. Mayorkkas,
when Dirrector of the agency, useed poor judgm
ment and prrovided prefeerential treattment to certtain
petitionerrs and region
nal center ap
pplicants in the
t EB-5 imm
mmigrant inveestor program
m. You havve an
obligation to ensure there
t
is acco
ountability.
When
W
Mr. Maayorkas becaame Directo
or of USCIS,, he distributted a memo tto all employees
memo explaains
titled, E
Ethics and Inttegrity Mem
morandum No
o: 2: Prefereential Treatm
ment. This m
how a government
g
position
p
is a public trust requiring ann employee tto act imparttially in the
performaance of his or her duties. It provideed guidancee to USCIS eemployees on avoiding aand
preventin
ng situationss that could be,
b or appearr to be, prefeerential treattment. Thiss memo wass
written by
b and violated by Mr. Mayorkas.
M
Th
he Inspectorr Generals rreport casts nno doubt on Mr.
Mayorkaas role in ap
pproving certtain petitionss, providing special acceess to certainn stakeholders
who had applicationss pending beefore the ageency and presssuring adjuudicators to eexpedite the
m
m advises thhat employeees who violaate
review off such appliccations. Thee Mayorkas memorandum
the stand
dards may bee subject to disciplinary
d
penalties,
p
upp to and incluuding removval from
employm
ment.

The
T U.S. imm
migration sysstem should be governedd by equal appplication off the lawnnot
by who has
h the best political
p
con
nnections. While
W
I appreeciate that yoou and Mr. M
Mayorkas haave
learned from
f
the Insp
pector Generrals report, the standardds of ethical conduct shoould have beeen
followed
d on day one by the Direcctor.

Secretary Joh
hnson
March 26,, 2015
Page 2 of 2

The
T allegation
ns against Mr.
M Mayorkas by whistlebblowers werre ignored foor months annd
months. The
T whistleb
blowers sacrrificed their livelihood,
l
aand remain cconstantly inn fear of
retaliation because Mr.
M Mayorkas remains in
n the Departm
ment leadersship. The adm
ministration,,
including
g you, presseed Congress to move Mrr. Mayorkas nominationn through deespite the
ongoing review by th
he Inspector General. Th
herefore, it iis incumbentt on you to taake action too
hold him
m accountablee.

I wait eag
gerly for you
ur reply.

Sincereely,

Charless E. Grassleyy
Chairm
man