Former leaders of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are calling for a major transformation of the agency, which they say has become politically toxic and lost its original mission. Jeh Johnson, who served as DHS secretary under President Barack Obama, argues that the agency has become a "pariah" due to its association with mass deportations and controversial policies during the Trump administration. He claims that the focus on immigration enforcement has overshadowed other key responsibilities, such as monitoring security threats and managing disaster response through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Michael Chertoff, who led DHS during the George W. Bush administration, echoed concerns about the current approach to immigration. He suggested that resources should be directed toward arresting individuals who pose serious security risks, rather than pursuing mass deportation strategies. Chertoff criticized the Trump administration for targeting low-level offenders, such as gardeners and home health aides, instead of focusing on more pressing security concerns. The former secretaries are advocating for a reorganization of DHS, proposing that immigration enforcement and prosecution functions be separated into different agencies. The Trump administration’s aggressive deportation campaigns faced legal battles and public protests in major cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Minneapolis. A recent poll found that about half of Americans support abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a key component of DHS. According to the Pew Research Center, public favorability toward DHS has declined significantly over the past few years. Following the fatal shooting of two American protesters by DHS agents in Minneapolis in January, the Trump administration appointed a new DHS secretary, Markwayne Mullin, and pledged a more measured approach. While the agency has scaled back its military-style immigration operations in urban areas, it has continued to set record arrest numbers. The Trump administration also considered closing down FEMA but later opted for a major reorganization of the agency. Meanwhile, security agencies like the FBI and Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives have reassigned staff to assist with immigration enforcement. A DHS spokesperson defended the agency’s mission, criticizing the Biden administration’s immigration policies and accusing the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of political bias. The spokesperson emphasized that counterterrorism and immigration enforcement are closely linked, citing issues such as child exploitation, trafficking, and smuggling as connected to illegal immigration. Despite criticism, DHS has received record funding under the Trump administration and a Republican-controlled Congress, and the agency claims it remains well-prepared to protect Americans. It highlights efforts in recruitment, reform, and modernization, particularly in counterterrorism. However, the agency also faced challenges, including a rise in deaths in ICE custody. Both the Obama and Bush administrations faced their own controversies, with critics labeling Obama the "deporter-in-chief" and the Bush administration criticized for domestic surveillance. While the Trump administration faced backlash over its border wall, both major political parties have historically supported border infrastructure.