Des Moines Sun

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has called for an investigation into Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials over allegations of retaliation against agency whistleblowers. Grassley urged CBP to hold those responsible accountable.

In May, Grassley played a role in reinstating the careers of three CBP whistleblowers—Fred Wynn, Mike Taylor, and Mark Jones—who experienced nearly ten years of retaliation after reporting that CBP was not complying with the DNA Fingerprint Act of 2005.

A 2021 report from the Office of Special Counsel found that CBP Office of Intelligence management, including then-Executive Director Ronald Ocker and then-Acting Deputy Executive Director Juan Fernandez, engaged in retaliatory actions against whistleblowers. In May 2024, Grassley sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General outlining evidence that multiple CBP officials had retaliated against Wynn, Taylor, and Jones.

“I am grateful to DHS leadership and the Trump administration for bringing these whistleblowers back to their rightful roles when the Biden administration failed to do so. To ensure that retaliation does not happen again at DHS, CBP or any of the Department’s other component agencies, the bureaucrats who retaliated against Mr. Wynn, Mr. Taylor, and Mr. Jones must be held accountable,” Grassley wrote.

“I am requesting that CBP investigate these reported instances of whistleblower retaliation and hold accountable, as appropriate, all individuals responsible for the seven-year nightmare these brave whistleblowers endured,” Grassley concluded.

Grassley's full letter to CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott is available online along with supporting documents such as the Special Counsel report and his 2024 letter to DHS OIG.

Earlier this year, Grassley secured promotions for Wynn, Taylor, and Jones. They also received compensation for more than seven years of retaliation. The agency restored law enforcement credentials for Jones and Taylor that had been revoked after they raised concerns about compliance with federal law regarding DNA sample collection.

Since 2018, Grassley has pressed CBP to stop its retaliatory practices toward these employees. He brought attention to their case during a congressional roundtable last year where they discussed national security risks tied to not collecting DNA samples from detainees.

During an April 2025 Senate hearing on President Trump’s nominee for CBP Commissioner, Grassley repeated his call for fair treatment of the whistleblowers. Shortly after this hearing, CBP promoted Wynn, Taylor, and Jones.

This marks Grassley's third major win for whistleblowers this year. In March, he helped Internal Revenue Service employees Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler gain promotions following their own disclosures. On National Whistleblower Day he announced success in restoring clearance and employment for a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) employee who had faced similar issues.

Grassley has also introduced legislation aimed at strengthening protections for FBI staff and federal contractors who report wrongdoing by their agencies or organizations.