Homeland Security officially terminates agency's Disinformation Governance Board

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has terminated the agency's Disinformation Governance Board and rescinded its charter.

Mayorkas officially ended the Department Homeland Security board Wednesday after the DHS advisory committee issued an interim recommendation last month that "there is no need" for the board.

The latest advisory report released Wednesday stated: "There is no need for a separate Disinformation Governance Board. But it is our assessment that the underlying work of Department components on this issue is critical."

Homeland Security does not "have the authority to silence or sanction anyone’s speech," but should instead focus on determining whether "publicly disseminated disinformation impedes missions assigned to the agency" and "disseminating correct information," the advisory council stated.

"With the HSAC recommendations as a guide, the Department will continue to address threat streams that undermine the security of our country consistent with the law, while upholding the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties of the American people and promoting transparency in our work," Homeland Security stated.

The agency faced heavy criticism after Mayorkas announced the Disinformation Governance Board in April. 

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) celebrated the board's termination.

"Good riddance once and for all to the DHS 'disinformation board,'" she tweeted. "The federal government has no business threatening the First Amendment by policing your free speech."