On January 25, 2012, Cause of Action requested that Acting DHS IG, Charles K. Edwards, investigate whether the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) violated federal law by obtaining and subsequently disseminating a video that can be traced to Creative America Campaign, Inc. Creative America has demonstrable ties to special-interest groups that regularly use registered lobbyists to advocate for passage of legislation that, directly or indirectly, is in ICE’s pecuniary interest. Further, ICE has violated applicable federal law by using money appropriated by an act of Congress to produce sophisticated, self-aggrandizing videos that amount to nothing more than propaganda. See CoA’s letter here.
On June 1, 2012, IG Edwards stated that the OIG is “carefully reviewing the allegations made” concerning “whether U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has violated Federal lobbying or appropriations law.” See IG Edwards’ response here.
