North Austin News

Representative John Carter (R-TX-31) and a group of 15 Republican members have sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, expressing their concerns about the mishandling of $73.4 million taxpayer dollars by local recipient organizations (LROs). The Republicans are particularly troubled by a recent DHS Office of Inspector General report that highlighted deviations and questionable spending by these organizations responsible for migrant humanitarian relief.

In the letter, Congressman John Carter emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in the use of taxpayer dollars. He stated, "Under President Biden, our border is in shambles. The American people deserve to know that their hard-earned tax dollars are being used effectively to handle this ongoing crisis. I look forward to Secretary Mayorkas' plan to rectify the misuse of the people's money."

The letter was co-signed by Representatives Jodey Arrington (TX-19), Brian Babin (TX-36), Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Ken Calvert (CA-41), Jake Ellzey (TX-06), Scott Franklin (FL-18), Lance Gooden (TX-05), Kay Granger (TX-12), Ronny Jackson (TX-13), John Moolenaar (MI-02), Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14), Keith Self (TX-03), Pete Sessions (TX-17), Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), and Randy Weber (TX-14).

The letter specifically addresses the concerns raised by the DHS Office of Inspector General report. It states, "I am troubled by a recent DHS Office of Inspector General report that identified deviations from humanitarian relief fund guidelines by local recipient organizations (LROs), leading to the mishandling of $66 million and $7.4 million in questionable spending due to missing documentation."

The Republicans also raise concerns about the involvement of LROs in the distribution of more than $12.2 million in Congressionally approved funding in the FEMA Shelters and Services Program (SSP) for communities receiving migrants. They highlight the need for improved coordination and oversight to ensure better utilization of taxpayer resources.

The letter concludes with a series of questions for Secretary Mayorkas, seeking clarification on the mechanisms in place to ensure the effective and transparent use of allocated funds by LROs, as well as the Department of Homeland Security's monitoring and accountability measures. The Republicans emphasize that Americans deserve assurances that their tax dollars are being used wisely and effectively to address the challenges at the southern border.

The Republicans hope that Secretary Mayorkas will respond promptly to their inquiries in order to aid their efforts in providing oversight and making informed decisions to preserve the nation's security.

Source: Representative John Carter and 15 Republican members, Letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Nov 9 2023.

To learn more, click on this link: https://carter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1714