NEW YORK — A discrimination and retaliation lawsuit has embroiled the upper reaches of the federal government’s immigration enforcement agency, contributing to a sense of turmoil in a bureaucracy that has had major labor conflicts between senior officials and employees.
The lawsuit, filed by a top federal immigration official in New York, alleges that he was shunted out of a high-level position in the agency in favor of a less qualified woman because he was a man.
The official, James T. Hayes Jr., also accuses the agency’s chief of staff, Suzanne Barr, of ‘‘sexually offensive behavior’’ that contributed to a hostile and discriminatory work environment for male employees.
This is not surprising since it is a well-known fact that agency director Napalitano is gay. The tone of the department is set from the top.
This is not surprising since it is a well-known fact that agency director Napalitano is gay. The tone of the department is set from the top.
Last week, Barr stepped down from her post and voluntarily left the agency on paid leave pending the outcome of an internal review of the misconduct allegations, a spokesman said.
The charges by Hayes have added to a sense of unrest in the agency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is the arm of Homeland Security responsible for the detention and deportation of immigrants.
The union that organizes more than 7,000 enforcement agents, the National ICE Council, has been critical of the leadership of the agency’s director, John Morton, and resistant to policy changes he has introduced. The head of the union has accused Morton of failing to consult with agents in the field about the effect of the new policies.
Under Morton, who was appointed in 2009 by Janet Napolitano, the Homeland Security secretary, the agency has made broad changes in immigration enforcement, applying prosecutorial discretion to focus deportations on convicted criminals while sparing illegal immigrants with no criminal histories. Last week the union posted a petition on its website asking for public support for ICE officers who are ‘‘upholding the law.’’ As of Tuesday morning it had more than 55,000 signatures....
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"ICE chief of staff resigns amid allegations
A senior Obama administration political appointee and longtime aide to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano resigned Saturday amid allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior lodged by at least three Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees. Suzanne Barr, chief of staff to John Morton, the agency’s director, said in her resignation letter that the allegations are ‘‘unfounded.’’ She said she was stepping down to end distractions within the agency (AP)."
A longtime aide, huh?
Good thing she didn't apply to Rutgers.
UPDATE: Director of U.S. Immigration Agency Resigns
A longtime aide, huh?
Good thing she didn't apply to Rutgers.
UPDATE: Director of U.S. Immigration Agency Resigns
