Senate Democrats are pressing the Department of Justice to release materials tied to a bribery investigation involving White House border czar Tom Homan that was abruptly closed by the Trump administration. The request follows earlier efforts by House Democrats to obtain similar records.
According to the Washington Examiner, lawmakers are seeking documents related to allegations that Homan accepted $50,000 in cash bribes from undercover FBI agents posing as business executives. The Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security Committee said the case’s closure raises concerns about political interference in law enforcement.
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, the committee’s ranking member, organized a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi demanding evidence collected during the probe. The group asked for investigative materials, including recordings and communications connected to the alleged bribery scheme.
The bribery allegations date back to September 2024, when FBI agents reportedly posed as executives offering Homan money in exchange for help securing government contracts if President Donald Trump won reelection. The Justice Department and FBI had initially indicated they would continue investigating, but the case was shut down after Trump returned to office.
FBI Director Kash Patel requested a status update before the closure, but no public explanation was given for dropping the probe. Senate Democrats now suggest the administration may have acted to protect a close Trump ally.
The letter from Peters and his colleagues stated that if reports are true, the conduct is unacceptable and that prematurely ending the case worsens concerns that the justice system is being used for political purposes. The lawmakers added that homeland security decisions must not be swayed by bribery.
Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a joint statement saying the matter was fully reviewed by prosecutors and agents. They argued no credible evidence of criminal activity was found.
They added that the investigation originated under the Biden administration and that DOJ resources should not be wasted on what they called baseless probes. As a result, they said, the investigation was formally closed.
The White House also defended Homan, with officials stating he was never involved in contract awarding and continues to serve effectively. They described the inquiries as politically motivated attempts to attack Trump’s allies.
Senate Democrats requested that Bondi submit a briefing by Oct. 8 detailing the government’s handling of the case. They specifically asked for audio, video, and written files produced during the undercover operation.
The lawmakers who joined Peters in signing the letter include Sens. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Ruben Gallego of Arizona, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, and Andy Kim of New Jersey. They warned that public trust in federal contracting is at stake.
“It is critical that the American people be able to trust that the influence of White House and other government officials has not been bought,” the senators wrote. They said contracts must reflect merit and national security interests, not favoritism.
Homan, who previously led Immigration and Customs Enforcement, rejected accusations of corruption. However, he did not directly address the allegation that undercover agents gave him cash.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted Homan never accepted a bribe. She praised his work as the administration’s point person at the border.
Deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson went further, saying Democrats were using the bribery case as a political weapon. She claimed Biden’s Justice Department previously targeted Trump allies instead of focusing on serious security threats and immigration enforcement.