Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Wednesday the department has ceased all grant funding to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are operating outside of government control, citing their role in facilitating illegal immigration.
Noem revealed that some NGOs, which receive substantial federal grants, have been assisting illegal immigrants in crossing the U.S. border.
“Many of these NGOs have operations in Mexico, advising illegal immigrants to come to them for help crossing the border,” Noem told Fox News Channel’s Will Cain Show. “They are not just operating in the U.S. but also facilitating illegal activities outside the country.”
Homeland Security Kristi Noem joins an ICE raid in New York City on Tuesday. Noem said communities will be safer because of targeted raids that go after criminal illegal immigrants. (Department of Homeland Security)
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The initial action to combat this issue is to halt funding, reassess the situation, and ensure that taxpayer money is being allocated towards legitimate causes, she explained.
“I believe there is interest in seeing how federal grants are being utilized by NGOs,” Noem stated.
Until a thorough evaluation is conducted, the department will refrain from allocating any more funds to prevent further damage to the country, Noem emphasized.
This photo shows migrants at the southern border encountered in Arizona. (U.S. Border Patrol)
She highlighted that some NGOs pose a potential risk to national security, emphasizing the need for scrutiny.
“Initially, I associated NGOs with nonprofit organizations promoting religious beliefs or charitable work…,” Noem explained. “However, over time, it has morphed into a shadow government entity.”
Noem elaborated on how NGOs utilize taxpayer funds to execute operations that the federal government is legally barred from carrying out.
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Recently, she noted that NGOs have been exploited to undermine national security.
According to the U.S. Department of State, around 1.5 million NGOs operate within the U.S.
