"NGOs simply tell DHS how many illegal aliens they encounter, and funding can be awarded without any documentation or receipts."
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Texas Insider Report) — House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (right,) along with Congressmen Lance Gooden of Texas and Tom McClintock of California, have written to Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding information, communications, and documents related to the federal funding of contracts given to what are frequently referred to as NGOs – Non-Governmental Organizations – for food, lodging and transportation of illegal immigrants since January 2021 after growing concerns that taxpayer dollars are being misused by the NGOs to send large numbers of the migrants to cities across the United States with what amounts to federally funded assistance.
"NGOs simply tell DHS how many illegal aliens they encounter, and funding can be awarded without any documentation or receipts.
"Federal funding for migration-related NGOs at the border has increased dramatically at a time when federal resources for border security and immigration enforcement – and local resources for emergency response and medical care – have been strained to the breaking point," wrote Cong. Jordan, Gooden & McClintock.
The probe comes as Republicans have been zeroing in on President Joe Biden’s handling of border security in general – which Republicans believe has fueled the crisis – and specifically federal grant funding of the NGO's that may have been used to transport illegal immigrants, reduce interior enforcement, and facilitate a greater use of "Catch & Release" policy along the nation's southern border.
"U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) officials have encountered over 5 million illegal aliens along the southwest border," the Congressmen wrote.
"Nearly 2 million of those aliens have been released into the U.S. pursuant to [DHS] policy.
"At the same time, over 1.5 million illegal alien ‘gotaways’ have successfully crossed the border undetected during the Biden-Harris Administration."
The crisis has been exacerbated further in recent weeks by the coming – and as of last Thursday, now recinded – Title 42 Public Health Order, which led to Border Agents and Officials often encounter over 10,000 migrants a day for over extended periods of time during 2023, often over multiple weeks.
- 83,000 Migrants Crossed U.S. Border This Week Alone – Fox News' Bill Melugin has the latest on the border crisis as Title 42 ends on 'Special Report'
After House Republicans passed H.R. 2, "The Secure the Border Act of 2023" last week, without one Democrat voting to secure the border – which included sweeping asylum reforms, a restart to border wall construction,as well as an increase in Border Patrol Agents to counter the migrant surge – this week the House Oversight Committee launched a separate investigation into the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) handling of its "Emergency Food & Shelter Program" (EFSP,) after reports the federal funding is being mis-used by NGOs "to offset expenses incurred abroad in efforts to facilitate and incentivize illegal immigration to the United States."
In the letter, obtained by Fox News Digital, the lawmakers note a recent DHS Office of Inspector General Report which found:
- approximately $110 million from the "American Rescue Plan" was not always used consistently with the law's guidelines,
- that NGO organizations did not provide required receipts and documentation, and
- that some did not provide supporting documentation for those to whom it gave services – including those who had evaded Border Patrol.
- READ MORE: DHS OIG finds millions in American Rescue Plan funds misused by NGOs, given to 'gotaway' illegal immigrants
Agency's Inspector General finds "American Rescue Plan" funding was misspent by nonprofits for migrants encountered at Southern Border.
In anticipation of the dramatic increase of illegal immigrants surging to the southern border, DHS announced it would be providing more funding to NGOs – including an allocation of $332 million via the Emergency Food & Shelter Program’ to "assist communities receiving noncitizens released from custody as they await the outcome of their immigration proceedings."
That further exacerbated ongoing concerns that the DHS-to-NGO federal funding pipeline was being used to funnel taxpayer money into services – including transportation into the interior of the country – to those coming into the U.S. illegally.
"While Americans suffer the consequences of chaos at the southwest border caused by the Biden Administration, NGOs receive hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars through federal grants to provide free food, lodging, and transportation for illegal aliens to be released anywhere they want in the United States," the lawmakers said.
"Amid this crisis, there is also an increased risk of fraud, misuse, and abuse of funds because, due to current policies, FEMA is unable to ensure that humanitarian relief funds are not being wasted," they wrote.
The investigation builds on letters sent by Gooden (right,) in December, who had previewed a Republican investigation and sought the preservation of documents by the administration.
- HOUSE OVERSIGHT GOP LAUNCHES PROBE INTO FEMA OVER TAX MONEY GOING TO NGOS AIDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
The Biden White House has pushed back, accusing Republicans of failing to provide adequate border funding – and for not passing the sweeping immigration measure it introduced in its first days in office.
"Transparency and accountability are non-negotiable elements of our public institutions," said Cong. Gooden of Texas.
"We owe it to the American people to ensure that their taxpayer dollars are used responsibly, and effectively."
