The No. 2 official at the Homeland Security Department improperly intervened on behalf of foreign investors in three cases involving the U.S. government soliciting investments in exchange for American visas, the agency’s inspector general said Tuesday.

Investigators said he helped secure the visas, and created the appearance of favoritism and special access. The investigation could not suggest a motive for the official’s involvement.

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said there were lessons to be learned in the inspector general’s investigation but described the official, Alejandro Mayorkas, in a statement as “exceptionally conscientious, honest and patriotic.”

Mayorkas at the time was head of the department’s Citizenship and Immigration Services agency. Mayorkas told investigators that his unusual involvement was intended to improve the government’s process or prevent mistakes.

“He is often impatient with our sluggish government bureaucracy, can at times be very hands-on in resolving issues and problems that are brought to his personal attention, and is always mindful that we are public servants,” Johnson said. “Ali works hard to do the right thing, and never acts, in my observation, for reasons of personal advancement or aggrandizement.”

The inspector general, John Roth, said Mayorkas involved himself in the three cases outside the normal process and in ways that benefited the foreign investors, but could not say why. Roth said that in each case, the government would have rejected the investors’ proposals except for Mayorkas’ involvement. He said Mayorkas caused resentment among agency career employees, managers and lawyers.

“We were unable to determine Mr. Mayorkas’ motives for his actions,” Roth said.

Roth praised as “courageous” the agency employees who confidentially had complained about Mayorkas’ actions and promised they would be protected as whistleblowers.

Roth said Mayorkas generally recognized the risks if it appeared that the government was violating its own rules in awarding visas improperly to foreigners, and Mayorkas sometimes declined to become involved because he said he did not think it would be appropriate as agency director.

(AP)