Congress Questions VA and DHS Data Sharing on Non-Citizen Employees Amid Staffing Shortages
More than 20 members of Congress, led by Rep Delia Ramirez and Sen Richard Blumenthal, have urged the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to respond to concerns raised after a Guardian report revealed that the VA is compiling a dataset of all non-U.S. citizens employed by or affiliated with the VA. This dataset is intended to be shared with immigration authorities, with the final report on the project due by the end of December.
The letter warns that the data collection could instill fear among non-citizens working within the VA and might lead to detentions or deportations. Lawmakers have requested relevant documents and a briefing by December 19, with a deadline of December 24 for the required documents. The VA has confirmed its intention to share some of the gathered data with other federal agencies, after issuing a directive to collect this data on November 25. The VA maintains that this project will not impact veterans' care and has committed to providing "all needed data" by December 26, with a full report to Sen Susan Collins by December 30.
A VA press secretary explained that the vetting is aimed at ensuring a trusted workforce and updating rolls and background checks. DHS declined to comment. The backdrop to this controversy includes significant VA staffing shortages, with an August VA inspector general report describing these as "severe." The Guardian's analysis shows thousands of mission-critical staff have left the VA since former President Trump's tenure began, including nearly 3,000 nurses and over 1,000 doctors.
Anecdotal accounts from VA staff in Chicago and Michigan reveal worsening conditions and fears that immigration enforcement actions could negatively impact veterans' access to care. Many rural areas rely heavily on foreign-trained clinicians, and proposed visa limits being considered this year are opposed by medical associations. Lawmakers have noted that veterans constitute over a quarter of the VA's workforce and have expressed concern the data-sharing plan could extend beyond the VA and U.S. borders, risking unjust actions against veterans who have served. Meanwhile, Sen Collins has downplayed the Guardian report in media appearances such as on Fox News.
