Julie Farnam

Julie Farnam has served in the federal government for nearly two decades. She joined the United States Capitol Police as the Assistant Director of Intelligence in October 2020. In April 2021, she assumed the role of Acting Director of Intelligence and held that position for over a year. While at the Capitol Police, Farnam warned of the impending danger ahead of January 6th. Her role is highlighted in the final report of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol (Appendix 1). Farnam appeared on CBS Mornings to provide an overview of her role in warning Capitol Police leadership in advance of the attack on the Capitol. Farnam has also been mentioned in several national media outlets, some of which has been controversial in nature, including the New York Times, CNN, Rolling Stone, Politico, and in the Washington Post. In the aftermath of the insurrection, she worked to reform an underperforming team. Under her leadership, she tripled the size of the intelligence division, developed a training program, and built relationships with strategic intelligence and law enforcement partners.

Prior to joining the Capitol Police, Farnam served with the Department of Homeland Security for over fifteen years. She is a recognized expert in intelligence and immigration. She has served as the Chief of the Immigration Vetting Division within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) Directorate. In this role, she oversaw the agency’s Intelligence Watch, as well as the four teams responsible for vetting immigration cases with issues involving national security. She also managed several high-level projects, including helping to establish a unit dedicated to the denaturalization of individuals who gained U.S. citizenship through fraud. She served as the agency’s lead for coordinating the implementation of several Executive Orders, including efforts to create baseline vetting and screening standards for immigration benefit applicants, and examine fraud vulnerabilities in the U.S. immigration system. She was the recipient of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Heritage Award, the second highest award offered by the agency, for her work with the Boston Marathon bombing. She also led a multi-agency taskforce to revise the immigrant fiancé(e) visa process after the San Bernardino terrorist attack in 2015.

Farnam holds a Master’s degree in Intercultural Relations from Lesley University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Simmons College. She is the author of the book, U.S. Immigration Laws Under the Threat of Terrorism and enjoys speechwriting. She has written speeches for DHS Secretaries Alejandro Mayorkas (then-USCIS Director) and Janet Napolitano, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Capitol Police leadership, and others. Farnam is active in the Arlington County Democratic Committee and has previously chaired the Women’s Caucus. She served as a policy advisor on Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign.