Project 2025, Chapter 5: Department of Homeland Security.
The primary recommendation at the head of this chapter is to dismantle the DHS, with suggestions for folding DHS functions into various other agencies.
In lieu of dismantling it, we have 30+ pages (pp 133-169 including endnotes) of redefining its mission and operations.
If you read my post THE EFFICIENCY EXPERTS, you’ll know I actually agree with the primary recommendation: I think the DHS should be dismantled. I’ll highlight a few points, give you my takeaways, and editorialize a little along the way.
“At a minimum, an enhanced regulatory agenda should include rules strengthening the integrity of the asylum system, parole reform, and U visa reform that prioritizes relief for victims of heinous crimes and ensures that we protect the truest and most deserving victims of crime (p. 145).”
Note: I don’t like that language, because “truest and most deserving” is extremely subjective, and it’s all too likely that anti-LGBTQ+ violence (like gang violence and domestic violence) will not be considered grounds for asylum, even though some countries are actively engaged in systematic slaughter of their LGBTQ+ citizens.
“The incoming Administration should spearhead an immigration legislative agenda focused on creating a merit-based immigration system that rewards high-skilled aliens instead of the current system that favors extended family-based and luck-of-the-draw immigration (p. 145).”
In other words, P25’s claim to be focused on the family is once again exposed as BS. Legal residents of color who want their family members to come to the US are likely to get an unpleasant reality check when the new system says No.
As to high-skilled aliens: if you want engineers and doctors to move here, you have to make it possible for them to get work as engineers and doctors. The cab-driving Ph.D. may be an urban legend … or not.
P25 recommends harsh application of detention, bond, and visa guidance, plus broader application of warrantless arrest, detention, and removal, plus a freeze on intake applications until backlogs are processed, plus authorizing “state and local law enforcement to participate in immigration and border security actions (p. 150),” plus building the border wall. Ka-ching!
On pp 151-152, P25 provides a list of proposed executive orders. We can be sure that DJT’s team is poised to issue all of these, which take a lot of officer discretion out of interpreting regulations.
On page 153, the discussion moves to the non-immigration functions of DHS, from FEMA (which P25 strongly dislikes) to the Coast Guard (major restructuring recommended). On Coast Guard recruiting: “The Administration should stop the messaging on wokeness and diversity … re-vet any promotions and hiring that occurred on the Biden Administration’s watch while also re-onboarding any USCG personnel who were dismissed from service for refusing to take the COVID-19 ‘vaccine,’ with time in service credited to such returnees (p. 156).”
In other words, the USCG should preferentially hire straight, white vaccine deniers.
What does “preferentially hire” mean? It means openly discriminating against non-straight, non-white applicants who might agree with majority medical opinion that vaccines are a proven way to avoid or mitigate devastating epidemics of preventable diseases.
Next up is the Secret Service, which P25 proposes to split between the DOJ (protection) and Treasury (currency, etc.), giving all other roles to other agencies. They claim that this will save money by closing field offices and eliminating redundancy. Except they then say the “Uniform Division (UD) of USSS requires a significant staffing increase (p. 158).” So much for saving money.
Also part of DHS is the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). “Until it is privatized, TSA should be treated as a national security provider, and its workforce should be deunionized immediately (p. 159).” Gee, which of DJT’s billionaire friends wants to run TSA? Can you imagine the new airport fees?
The rest of the chapter covers the management levels of DHS, which P25 thinks should be comprehensively audited where they aren’t zeroed out. There are so many acronyms here, it’s dizzying. The chapter ends with hot takes on immigrant control within the functions of other agencies and departments.
Takeaway: this chapter is pretty wonky, with detailed suggestions for streamlining agencies and procedures. As such, it’s both more rational and more actionable than the vague and greedy saber-rattling of chapter 4. Despite the structural streamlining, however, I’m not seeing a cost savings; P25 is asking for more people, more infrastructure, more money.
We can be sure that anti-immigrant actions will be among the first taken by the red tide. Progressives should prepare some more humane proposals for the inevitable day when American citizens begin to feel the pinch of agriculture, food processing, and construction losing 5% of their workers.
Next post, we’ll tackle Chapter 6 on the Department of State.