(CNN) Changes and vacancies in the top ranks of the Department of Homeland Security have made it harder to hire new employees and keep ones already on staff at the department, according to a new inspector general report.

These management woes have been around since the department's inception, but have been made worse by that lack of permanent senior leadership, which is "often beyond DHS' control," according to the report.

Last week, Chad Wolf became the most recent acting Homeland Security secretary, making him the fifth person to lead the department under President Donald Trump. His appointment followed weeks of political maneuvering and speculation about who the President would choose to run DHS -- the third largest federal department, with roughly 240,000 employees. Immigration hardliner Ken Cuccinelli was asked to fill the department's deputy secretary role after the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel concluded that he was not eligible to succeed McAleenan in the top job.

"Unfortunately," many senior leadership positions continue to "suffer from a lack of permanent, Presidentially Appointed and Senate confirmed officials," wrote the watchdog.

As of September 21, "acting" officials filled almost one-third (18 of 58) of DHS senior leadership positions, according to the inspector general.

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