DHS Blocks $137K in CBP Commissioner’s Suite Renovation Amid Broader Leadership Rift

Senior officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have rejected roughly $137,000 in aesthetic upgrades for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Rodney Scott’s office while allowing the bulk of a roughly $2.06 million renovation to proceed, deepening tensions between CBP leadership and the department’s political appointees.

What Happened

CBP facilities staff submitted a renovation proposal in September that ultimately sought about $2,064,765 for work on the 1,100-square-foot commissioner’s suite and associated infrastructure. The packet, approved by acting DHS chief financial officer Holly Mehringer on Nov. 17, included line items such as $299,850 for furniture, $86,733 for furniture-related services and $33,000 for window treatments, with much of the overall cost allocated to mold remediation, fire-alarm fixes, security upgrades and IT improvements.

Why Leadership Intervened

According to three administration officials granted anonymity, Secretary Kristi Noem and her senior advisers viewed the $137,000 in suite-focused spending as unnecessary — particularly because CBP expects to relocate its headquarters in coming years and because the department is prioritizing operational work tied to the administration’s immigration agenda. At the end of December, Noem’s office and DHS general counsel rejected that portion of the request while allowing mission-critical elements to proceed.

"Don’t waste our time with silly things like this when we have other priorities we want to focus on," one official told reporters.

Context And Reactions

CBP said the contract originated under the Biden administration and was reviewed as part of standard procurement procedures. A CBP spokesperson said the scope was narrowed to necessary, mission-critical updates including addressing fire-alarm deficiencies, mold remediation and furnishing space for staff returning to the office.

The dispute has become a proxy for larger disagreements over priorities: DHS political leaders, officials say, are pressing CBP to accelerate deportations, finalize border-wall contracts and better coordinate with other agencies. Critics within the department argue Commissioner Scott is not moving quickly enough on those priorities; supporters point to reductions in border encounters and congratulate his operational record.

Personnel And Political Fallout

The office controversy coincided with personnel changes at CBP. James Kernochan, Scott’s chief of staff, moved to become deputy director at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and DHS installed acting general counsel Joseph Mazzara as CBP deputy director in late December — a move sources said was intended to improve coordination with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and to accelerate priorities tied to the administration’s agenda.

Previous Renovation Notices

Federal rules require notification to oversight committees for renovation work on political appointees’ offices above $5,000. Mehringer notified House and Senate homeland security appropriations subcommittees on Dec. 11 that DHS planned improvements totaling $2,064,765. Earlier notices to Congress recorded planned work in June 2023 (about $966,636) and February 2024 (about $1,167,665) for related updates and life-safety work in the suite.

Bottom Line

The blocked $137,000 highlights the friction between DHS political leadership and CBP over spending priorities and execution speed. While the majority of the renovation — focused on safety, mold remediation, security and IT infrastructure — will move forward, the clash has contributed to personnel shifts and underscored the administration’s demand that CBP more directly advance its immigration and border priorities.