Biden Administration Disbands Controversial DHS Intelligence Panel Amid Lawsuit

Following legal pressure from a conservative legal nonprofit, the Biden administration has opted to disband a contentious intelligence panel within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The Homeland Intelligence Experts Group, announced by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in September, aimed to gather insights from private sector figures to inform government intelligence and national security strategies.

Critics, however, raised concerns over the panel’s neutrality, alleging partisan bias due to the involvement of individuals such as former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former CIA Director John Brennan. These concerns were exacerbated by the panel’s perceived dismissal of the veracity of the Hunter Biden laptop story.

America First Legal (AFL), representing itself and former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell, filed a lawsuit against DHS in November, alleging violations of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The suit criticized the lack of political balance within the panel, as well as insufficient public notice and undue influence by the Biden administration.

In response to the legal challenge, DHS agreed to disband the panel and refrain from reconstituting it in a manner inconsistent with federal regulations. Additionally, DHS committed to providing meeting agendas and minutes with participant identities redacted, within fifteen days of the court order.

Conservative plaintiffs, including Stephen Miller, President of America First Legal, hailed the agreement as a victory for accountability and transparency. Miller commended Grenell’s role in challenging what he described as partisan intelligence practices.

Former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell emphasized the significance of DHS’s decision, asserting that it vindicated the legal arguments put forth by America First Legal. Grenell characterized the disbandment as a concession by DHS, acknowledging legal wrongdoing by the Biden administration.