Former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Tom Homan is under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General regarding allegations that he improperly accepted a plaque and commemorative coins from a group with ties to a company bidding for a government contract. The items were presented to Homan by representatives of the nonprofit organization Advocates for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime (AVIAC), which has connections to the security firm B.I. Incorporated.
The investigation focuses on whether Homan violated ethics rules by accepting gifts from an entity potentially seeking to influence official actions. While the value of the plaque and coins is relatively low, the central issue is whether the acceptance created an appearance of impropriety, given AVIAC’s ties to a company vying for an ICE contract.
Homan maintains he did nothing wrong, stating he was unaware of the connection between AVIAC and B.I. Incorporated at the time he accepted the gifts. He claims he accepted the items in recognition of his work on border security and combating crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. Homan has cooperated with the investigation, providing documentation and answering questions. The investigation is ongoing, and the Inspector General’s office is expected to issue a report outlining its findings.
find the original article here: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/tom-homan-investigated-accepting-50-194558242.html