Congress, as the American people’s elected representatives, should decide where taxpayer dollars go—not boards populated by agenda-driven charities seeking to line the pockets of a vast network of open borders non-governmental organizations.

The latter is exactly what is happening with government funds at the Department of Homeland Security—specifically, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. DHS is using FEMA to make an end-run around the traditional appropriations process, to facilitate the worst border crisis in American history.

In a recent bombshell report, the DHS Inspector General revealed that NGOs receiving money provided by the American Rescue Plan of 2021 through FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) abused at least $7.4 million, more than half of an audited $12.9 million provided through the program. The organizations in question failed to adhere to the law, submit receipts, and keep the required documentation. The audit found that these NGOs spent money on those who crossed the border illegally and are not lawfully present in the United States.

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It’s also worth noting that the $7.4 million in misused funds reported by the audit is only a small portion of the funds doled out in 2021. The audit reviewed $12.9 million of $80.6 million that was awarded out of a total of $110 million. It’s safe to say the total fraud is far worse.

In the last 2 years, nearly $1 billion has been appropriated to the EFSP, whose National Board distributes humanitarian funds “to local social service organizations assisting individuals and families encountered by the Department of Homeland Security.” The program received $150 million in FY22. Of the $785 million appropriated for the EFSP in the FY23 Omnibus, $350 million has been awarded thus far by the National Board comprised of representatives from the American Red Cross, United Way Worldwide, and four religious charitable organizations.

The recent uncovering of funding abuse is not a standalone event but the latest example in a pattern of the federal government funneling exorbitant amounts of money to NGOs operating at the border with little to no accountability.

This practice is continually becoming more widespread at DHS, and the agency is always looking to expand it in other arenas. For example, the recently created Case Management Pilot Program (CMPP), which is overseen by Church World Service, an NGO that has advocated for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, provides taxpayer-funded aid to illegal aliens facing deportation.

This controversial pilot program, which the Biden administration is seeking to expand with additional funding from Congress, “makes funds available to local governments and/or nonprofits to provide case management … to noncitizens in immigration removal proceedings who affirmatively volunteer to participate in the program.” CMPP funds are “awarded to eligible sub-recipients through the Board. The Board is charged with awarding funds to eligible local governments and nonprofit organizations and managing the pilot program.”

The plethora of funding allotted to DHS grant programs operated by prominent charities, NGOs, and sub-recipients cannot be overstated.

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In the FEMA case, the DHS Inspector General’s recommendations for the agency to merely “resolve the $7.4 million in questioned costs” and “ensure the EFSP National Board implements oversight measures” in the future should raise red flags for every member of Congress.

Such measures are useless against the backdrop of the current border crisis. They do nothing to address the root of the problem. The solution to eliminating humanitarian relief fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars is to pass meaningful legislation securing the border and to defund the NGOs doing the Biden administration’s dirty work of illegal alien processing, human smuggling, and incentivizing mass migration.

Let’s be clear: Congress is supposed to control the purse strings. Appropriators must not fall into the trap of process reforms and instead need to eliminate the entire existence of these corrupt funding streams.

It’s time for those on Capitol Hill to demand accountability from DHS and defund these open-borders operations, instead of abdicating their responsibility to use American taxpayer dollars responsibly and lawfully.