Labor Department sidelines staffers amid DOGE push for immigrant data
Source: Politico
04/18/2025 05:35 PM EDT
Multiple employees at the Labor Department who handle sensitive data related to immigrant workers were placed on leave after run-ins with DOGE members according to five people familiar with the matter.
Those placed on leave include a nearly 20-year veteran of the agency, Steven Rietzke, and at least one other staffer at DOL’s Employment and Training Administration, according to current and former employees who were granted anonymity so they could discuss sensitive information. “Ths (sic) one really came out of the blue,” said one DOL employee.
The development comes as DOGE increasingly looks to repurpose federal agencies’ data and systems in ways that could bolster the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The Labor Department plays a key role in the process for certain employment-based visas, and ETA is the part of the agency that primarily handles workforce development grants.
In March, DOGE staffer Miles Collins attempted to access some of ETA’s systems, including those related to the National Farmworker Jobs Program, the people said. The program, which totals less than $100 million, funds job training and other services for workers to obtain more stable employment in agriculture or other industries. It is open to those legally authorized to work in the U.S. and includes other eligibility requirements.
Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/18/labor-department-sidelines-staff-doge-immigrant-data-00299298