A discrimination lawsuit in Washington, D.C., has forced an Arizona native and UA grad out of her high-ranking position in the Department of Homeland Security.
Suzanne Barr, chief of staff for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, took a leave of absence this week when accusations were published detailing her alleged sexual harassment of male employees.
Barr, a Phoenix native who graduated from the University of Arizona in 1995, was a top aide to former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano in Phoenix and followed Napolitano to Washington in 2009.
Barr is one of two top Napolitano appointees in Arizona who are accused of fostering anti-male discrimination in ICE, as the branch of Homeland Security is known. The other is Dora Schriro, whom Napolitano named as director of Arizona's Corrections Department during her time as governor.
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In his lawsuit, filed in D.C. federal court in May, James Hayes Jr. alleges that Napolitano hired Schriro as a "special advisor" and had her gradually take over his position as director of detention and removal operations for ICE. Hayes says Schriro, now commissioner of New York City's Department of Correction, was unqualified but began taking over his duties in 2009, forcing him out in an act of gender-based discrimination.
Hayes makes more detailed accusations against Barr, who graduated from Arizona State University's Law School in 2003. He says Barr "created a frat-house type atmosphere that is targeted to humiliate and intimidate male employees."
On Tuesday, it emerged that Hayes' lawyer had sent affidavits to the federal government's lawyers, detailing alleged harassment by Barr. Several news outlets reported seeing the affidavits from alleged victims and said they included one story of Barr soliciting a male employee while at an embassy party in Bogotá, Colombia, and another story of her questioning a male employee about his genitals in front of other employees.
In his suit, Hayes acknowledges having been the subject of six separate internal investigations by the department, but he alleges they were extended or reopened only after he first complained of his treatment.
Brian Hale, a Homeland Security spokesman, has called the lawsuit unfounded. In a written statement, he said:
"These allegations are being made in connection with ongoing litigation. ICE will respond directly and strongly to this lawsuit in court as is appropriate. In the meantime, ICE has referred these allegations to the DHS Office of Inspector General and the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility for review. Ms. Barr has voluntarily placed herself on leave pending the outcome of this review."
Contact reporter Tim Steller at 807-8427 or tsteller@azstarnet.com
