Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has sparked debate by awarding billions of dollars in extra paid leave to DHS employees, leading to questions about the impact on the department's budget and mission, the Washington Times reported.
Mayorkas has been granting significant amounts of extra paid leave to employees within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), leading to the creation of a new internal system to manage it.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently introduced a "Leave-tracking tool" to help supervisors and employees manage the increased vacation days. This tool became necessary after Mayorkas provided an additional nine days of vacation in 2023, with expectations of ten more days this year. The department justifies this move as recognizing employees' hard work under challenging conditions.
The move has drawn praise and criticism, with some seeing it as a well-deserved reward for challenging work, while others question the motivations and long-term impact on the department.
Critics argue that Mayorkas is trying to win favor from employees who are under immense pressure, particularly those working in immigration roles. Emilio Gonzalez, former head of USCIS during the Bush administration, believes the extra leave is a superficial fix to deeper issues within the department.
"This is all political, and it's all for show," Gonzalez said, suggesting that the leave does little to address the underlying challenges DHS employees face.
Mayorkas' latest gesture came in the form of an additional day off for Labor Day, adding to the holiday itself. In a message to employees, he praised their "selfless service" and "tireless devotion" while granting eight hours of administrative leave that could be used this year or next.
With over 250,000 employees in the department, this translates to a significant financial cost, estimated at $900 million in 2023 and $500 million so far this year. Since the start of his tenure, Mayorkas has granted nearly $2.6 billion in extra paid time off.
Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, criticized the imbalance between Mayorkas' generous leave policies and the department's ongoing struggles with border management.
"DHS law enforcement deserve[s] much-needed time off," Green stated, "but the Secretary has no clear plan for balancing this need with the Department's mission."
Some within the DHS also express skepticism about Mayorkas's intentions. One commenter on Reddit remarked, "Mayorkas is trying to buy his employees' forgiveness for how miserable he has made it to work there."
The impact of these additional leave days on DHS' mission is a growing concern. Critics like Gonzalez argue that the time off leads to delayed work and creates a significant budgetary shortfall.
Despite these concerns, the DHS maintains that the extra leave is a necessary acknowledgment of the extraordinary sacrifices made by its employees, stating that it "serves the public interest by contributing to employee morale."