The Department of Homeland Security has pulled back part of a proposed multimillion-dollar renovation of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner’s office suite, rejecting front-office upgrades while allowing mission-critical repairs to move forward.
According to reporting by POLITICO, DHS leadership blocked roughly $137,000 in proposed aesthetic improvements to CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott’s office late last year, citing cost concerns and future plans to relocate the agency’s headquarters. The remaining portion of the project – totaling about $1.9 million – was approved and is focused on infrastructure, safety, and security needs.
The renovation plan, first drafted in September, covered work in the commissioner’s suite at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., a space that CBP officials said had not been comprehensively updated in more than two decades. Internal DHS documents describe deteriorating finishes, outdated systems, and environmental issues that required attention.
While the full proposal totaled just over $2 million, only a small portion was directed toward the commissioner’s personal office. The bulk of the funding was earmarked for mold remediation, fire and life safety improvements, security upgrades, and information technology infrastructure.
Still, DHS political leadership objected to the front-office component of the request, which included new furniture, window treatments, and other interior upgrades. Senior officials viewed those elements as unnecessary, particularly given that CBP is expected to vacate the space in the coming years as part of a broader federal real estate reshuffle that would eventually turn the building over to the FBI.
Under federal law, DHS was required to notify congressional appropriators of any office renovation for a political appointee exceeding $5,000. In a December letter to the House and Senate homeland security appropriations subcommittees, the department outlined plans to make improvements to the commissioner’s suite at a total projected cost of roughly $2.06 million.
DHS later revised that plan. By the end of December, department leadership and the Office of the General Counsel formally rejected the portion of the project tied to nonessential office upgrades, according to administration officials familiar with the decision.
In a statement, DHS said the review reflected tighter oversight of large contracts.
“Secretary Noem personally reviews and approves any contract above $100,000 to ensure every penny is spent to advance DHS’s mission of protecting the American people and safeguarding our nation,” a department spokesperson said, adding that the department has reduced or avoided billions in planned spending through contract reviews.
CBP officials defended the renovation effort as a standard facilities management issue rather than a discretionary upgrade. A spokesperson said the project originated under the prior administration and was reassessed through normal procurement processes, with DHS ultimately deciding to move forward only with essential fixes.
“These fixes included addressing fire alarm deficiencies, mold concerns, and installing furniture needed to accommodate staff members now that they have returned to work,” the spokesperson said.
The December notification to Congress also noted that earlier renovations had already taken place in recent years, including work on general finishes and fire protection systems, at costs approaching $1 million each time.
The scaled-back renovation comes as DHS continues to balance aging federal infrastructure, employee return-to-office requirements, and heightened scrutiny of departmental spending. While the commissioner’s suite will receive necessary repairs and system upgrades, DHS leadership has made clear that cosmetic improvements will not move forward.
(AI was used in part to facilitate this article.)
