When that failed, officials attempted to relocate his position to another state, a move that would have required his family to uproot.
He threatened legal action, and the proposal was abandoned.
Rosenberg said the second Trump administration was fundamentally different.
Within weeks, career staff were being reassigned, offices were directed to remove pronouns from email signatures, and employees were instructed to take down signs identifying gender-inclusive bathrooms.
"Every day became another culture war issue," he said.
Harun Ahmed, a former deputy chief in the refugee affairs law division at USCIS who served nearly 17 years, said career officials found themselves under pressure to support policies they believed violated the spirit and purpose of the immigration system.
"They wanted employees to sign off on efforts even when we believed they were immoral, illegal or ahistorical," he said.
When the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, offered buyouts, Ahmed reluctantly accepted.
Multiple officials said entire offices were dismantled, and oversight bodies were stripped of staff and authority.
The divisions responsible for refugee policy, asylum, humanitarian protections and family unity were among the hardest hit.
The practices have continued during the leadership transition to Markwayne Mullin, the current and former officials said.
Trump fired Noem in March 2026 amid bipartisan backlash following the killings of two American citizens by federal immigration agents in Minnesota and growing scrutiny over a $200m taxpayer-funded advertising campaign promoting her leadership.
In late March, the Senate confirmed Mullin, a Republican senator from Oklahoma, as the new DHS secretary in a 54-45 vote.
