In late February 2026, Snopes readers reached out and searched the website for information about a person allegedly named Iwona B. Horyn, who some claimed was the acting chief security officer of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The rumor, which has circulated online since late November 2025, found a resurgence after the alleged Horyn was featured in a segment on the late night comedy show "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
Kimmel used the apparent wordplay in Horyn's name ("I wanna be whorin'") as an introduction for a segment featuring other "unfortunate" people with odd names. The segment is available to watch on YouTube with the relevant portion beginning around the 14:00 mark.
As a result, users took to social media platforms like Instagram (archived) to spread the alleged DHS employee's purported name and photograph.
The claim that a person named Iwona B. Horyn was the acting chief security officer of DHS is true.
The rumor originally circulated following the October 2025 publication of an article by the website AntiPolygraph.org, which described itself as "a non-profit, public interest website dedicated to exposing and ending waste, fraud, and abuse associated with the use of polygraphs and other purported lie detectors."
The article cited a February 2025 Bloomberg report that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem "issued an internal directive that all polygraphs the Department of Homeland Security administers must include a question about unauthorized communications with media and nonprofit organizations," in an alleged effort to contain DHS "leaks of both border and interior immigration enforcement activities."
AntiPolygraph reported that DHS' acting Chief Security Officer Iwona B. Horyn would be "given the unenviable task of establishing a department-wide polygraph program."
Horyn was listed on the official DHS website under "Leadership." She also was present in an official transcript for a State, Local, Tribal, Public Sector Policy Advisory Committee meeting that occurred on Sept. 20, 2023, which predated her appointment as acting chief security officer but confirmed she was employed in the office.
According to the transcript, Horyn stated during the meeting: "My name is Iwona Horyn. I'm with the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Chief Security Officer. I am standing in for Mr. McComb today due to his unavailability, and I just wanted to go over a couple of things as we wrap up FY23 and start moving towards FY24."
"Mr. McComb" appeared to reference Richard D. McComb, who was appointed chief security officer on April 3, 2016, according to DHS.
A March 2025 post on McComb's LinkedIn page confirmed his "retirement from federal service" and on his resume, his time as chief security officer was listed as April 2016 to March 2025. Horyn's LinkedIn page stated her tenure as acting chief security officer began in August 2025.
Horyn made a post that referenced her role as acting chief security officer on Sept. 16, 2025, commemorating the anniversary of the 2013 Navy Yard shooting.
Horyn wrote:
Years ago, I called the Navy Yard home. On that tragic day, I was fortunate to be working just down the road and even more lucky to be able to tell my family I was safe. Now, as DHS Acting Chief Security Officer, I work with a passionate group of people to do everything in our power to prevent it from happening again by: strengthening physical security, access controls, credentialing, personnel screening, and threat assessment across DHS facilities.
Snopes reached out to DHS and Horyn for further comment and will update this article if we receive a response.