Whistleblower Alleges Trump Administration Withholds Critical Immigration Records
Former USCIS official Timothy Turner alleges the Trump administration is systematically withholding immigration records to hinder noncitizens from resisting deportation.
Immigration lawyers and a former government whistleblower allege the Trump administration is systematically redacting or withholding critical immigration records requested by noncitizens. These documents, often sought via the Freedom of Information Act, are essential for immigrants to prove legal status and resist deportation.
Timothy Turner, a former senior official at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), filed a whistleblower complaint claiming the agency enacted policies in May 2025 to withhold personal records and non-English documents by citing privacy laws. Turner testified that the rate of closed requests for immigrants facing deportation rose from 8% to over 35% between late 2025 and early 2026.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and USCIS maintain they comply with privacy laws and verify identities to ensure records reach the correct persons. However, lawyers argue these delays and redactions deprive immigrants of due process and increase the risk of deportation.
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