Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said on Wednesday that she “clawed back” the full payment made by FEMA for hotels to house migrants in New York City, days after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced the discovery of a $59 million payment made last week.
“I have clawed back the full payment that FEMA deep state activists unilaterally gave to NYC migrant hotels,” Noem announced on Wednesday, noting that FEMA was actively funding the Roosevelt Hotel “that serves as a Tren de Aragua base of operations and was used to house Laken Riley’s killer.”
An immigrant family show their paperwork to security guards at the Roosevelt Hotel, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
“Mark my words: there will not be a single penny spent that goes against the interest and safety of the American people,” she vowed.
Her announcement came on the heels of Elon Musk, heading up DOGE efforts, announcing that they discovered a $59 million payment made last week to luxury hotels in the Big Apple, all with the purpose of housing migrants.
“Sending this money violated the law and is in gross insubordination to the President’s executive order,” Musk wrote.
FEMA remains under fire for the way it operated under former President Joe Biden’s leadership, not only discriminating against Trump supporters — being told to avoid hurricane victims with Trump signs in their yards — but also mismanaging funds. This came to a head after former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said last fall that FEMA did not have the funds to make it through the remainder of hurricane season. At the same time, $640 million was allotted to DHS specifically for issues related to illegal immigrants, as Breitbart News reported.
On Wednesday, Noem’s DHS confirmed FEMA is terminating the four employees — FEMA’s Chief Financial Officer, two program analysts, as well as a grant specialist — who circumvented leadership and made the payments for migrant housing.
“Effective immediately, FEMA is terminating the employment of four individuals for circumventing leadership to unilaterally make egregious payments for luxury NYC hotels for migrants,” DHS’s Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS will not sit idly and allow deep state activists to undermine the will and safety of the American people,” McLaughlin added.