The Department of Homeland Security’s Alejandro Mayorkas gave so many extra days off to its employees that an agency had to set up a system for employees to keep track.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ “leave tracking tool” makes it easier for employers to track how many employees are using their generous leave and for employees, to know how much time they have left.

In recognition of the extravagant promises he made about extra vacation time, employees call Mayorkas “St. Ali” or simply St. Ali. He gave each employee nine extra vacation days in 2023 and is on course to give 10 this year.

Homeland Security Department claims that the extra leave time is a reward for employees who do difficult work in trying circumstances.

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Critics claim that Mr. Mayorkas wants to buy the loyalty of the employees who were placed under such circumstances, especially the tens and thousands of immigration workers at the Department.

Emilio Gonzalez who headed USCIS during the Bush administration said, “This is just a show. It’s all politics.” It’s about addressing the stress and not the root problem.

Mr. Mayorkas gave his employees an extra day off last week to celebrate Labor Day.

In a letter to his employees, he said: “In recognition for your selfless service, dedication to duty, and extraordinary achievements, I am proud to grant 8 hours of administrative time to all personnel. This leave can be taken this year or the next.”

More than 250,000 people work for the department. The pay of these employees varies greatly, but a conservative estimation that they are on average GS-10, with a starting rate just above $50 per hour, would translate to $900,000,000 in paid time off potential last year, and $500,000,000 this year.

During his tenure, Mr. Mayorkas granted an extra $2.6 billion in paid time off.

Mark Green, Tennessee Republican and Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, said it’s a big problem for a Secretary who struggles to manage the border, often claiming that he doesn’t have the money to do so.

Green stated in a press release that “my committee has been informed by DHS sources Secretary Mayorkas is giving out leave at a much higher rate than his predecessors. All the while, he complains of a ‘lack’ of resources to secure our border.” “DHS law enforcers deserve time off from their jobs to recover and rest.” The secretary, however, has shown that he does not have a clear plan on how to balance the need for rest and recuperation with the mission of the department.

The generosity of Mr. Mayorkas is envied by other federal employees on online forums.

After the Labor Day announcement, a poster on Reddit’s Fednews Forum joked: “I heard DHS has the rest of its fiscal year off.”

The disappointment was emphasized by a list of agencies.

Interior Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Commerce Department, and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. all received two hours. State Department received three hours. NASA received four hours. IRS employee: “We received a nice email. That’s it.”

All agencies give the same amount each year. It’s between 60 and 80 hours. I can’t recall exactly how much they give. The secretary of each agency has the discretion to award it. “Unfortunately, most secretaries aren’t interested enough in awarding it,” said one poster.

Some people questioned the motives of Mr. Mayorkas.

One commenter said, “If you are referring to Saint Mayorkas and DHS then Mayorkas may be trying to buy forgiveness from his employees for making it so miserable to work at DHS.”

The IRS, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Social Security Administration all have a reputation for being stingy when it comes to administrative leave. Customers quickly complain if an employee uses the leave.

Mr. Gonzalez says Homeland Security feels the same impact when people aren’t present.

He said, “It is a double whammy.” You’re giving the workers time off and that means they will be working later. You’re also creating a hole of a billion dollars in your budget.

A request for this report was not answered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which is responsible for overseeing agency policies. USCIS also did not respond to an inquiry for this report.

Homeland Security stated that Mr. Mayorkas generosity is a true reflection of his employees.

The department said in a press release that DHS employees and their families are exceptional public servants, who make sacrifices for our mission. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that “these unusually challenging jobs deserve our respect, and offering administrative leaves is a sign of this respect which serves the public interest while contributing to employee morale.”

The department refused to answer questions regarding the number of hours of work granted across the department or the cost of the time not worked.

In 2023, Mr. Mayorkas’s time allocation included eight hours – a full day of work – for the anniversary date of the creation of the Department, and eight additional hours for Memorial Day (an extra paid holiday), Independence Day (a paid holiday), Labor Day, and Veterans Day. In addition to the Thanksgiving holiday, he also granted 16 hours, or two full days of work, for Thanksgiving. He also added two more days for the holiday season in December.

This year, he has added eight additional hours to his schedule for Public Service Recognition Week.