WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, Congressman Lance Gooden (R-Texas), joined by House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik and House Budget Committee Ranking Member Jason Smith, introduced legislation to defund U.S. non-profit organizations that are complicit in human smuggling and exacerbating the crisis at our southern border.
The Stop Federal Funding for Human Trafficking and Smuggling Act is the culmination of Gooden’s months long investigation into a whistleblower packet he received detailing the organized operation to move migrants across the border and into our communities. In November, he travelled to the U.S.-Mexico border where he observed U.S. corporations and government agencies working in tandem with non-profit organizations to facilitate mass relocation of migrants into the interior of the United States.
Rep. Lance Gooden said, “The Biden Administration is working with non-profits, U.S. corporations, and international agencies to operate an illegal immigration network that spans from South America to every community in the United States. Taxpayer dollars should not be subsidizing a mass invasion of our country and it is time to put a stop to this corrupt operation.”
House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik said, “The Biden Administration’s failure to enforce the rule of law at our Southern Border is incentivizing illegal immigration and awarding the harmful and dehumanizing practice of human trafficking. Stopping human trafficking should not be a partisan issue, and I am proud to join my colleagues in preventing taxpayer dollars from funding nonprofits that encourage these harmful practices.”
Russ Vought, President, Citizens for Renewing America and former White House Office of Management and Budget Director said, “As President Trump's budget director, I saw first-hand how taxpayer money goes to fund activities that are immoral and deeply offensive to the American people. Many NGOs openly encourage the flaunting of our border and immigration laws, providing 'how-to' guidance on how to come to the United States illegally, and then reward such activity by facilitating and funding housing, food, utilities, and legal support. The net effect of these activities either directly promotes or provides cover for human trafficking operations, and the exploitation of men, women, and children at the border under the guise of "helping" migrants. I support Rep. Gooden's efforts to make sure groups that facilitate these activities are no longer funded with the hard-earned tax dollars supplied by the forgotten men and women of America."
Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), issued the following statement in support of the bill, “Many nongovernmental organizations have profited off of exploiting our immigration laws for too long. These groups are directly responsible for the chaos at our southern border, and it is long past time to hold them accountable. Congressman Lance Gooden’s legislation does just that. The Protecting Federal Funds from Human Trafficking and Smuggling Act would prevent federal contracts and grants being awarded to NGOs unless they can certify that they are not involved in human trafficking or smuggling. Further, it protects the American taxpayer by ensuring that tax dollars do not flow to organizations actively contributing to the border crisis. We applaud Congressman Gooden for his continued leadership on this issue, and urge all members of the House to co-sponsor this bill.”
Specifically, the legislation prevents federal contracts and grants being awarded to organizations unless they can certify they are not involved in human trafficking or smuggling. If an organization is found to knowingly violate federal law related to human trafficking and smuggling, their 501(c) 3 tax-exempt status would be revoked.
Reps. Jason Smith, Elise Stefanik Tom Tiffany, Pete Sessions, Randy Weber, Fred Keller, Paul Gosar, Michael Burgess, Matt Rosendale, Brian Babin, Tedd Budd, August Pfluger, Madison Cawthorn, Diana Harshbarger, John Carter, Ralph Norman, Van Taylor, Rodney Davis, Don Bacon, Barry Moore, and Byron Donalds joined Rep. Gooden as original cosponsors of the legislation.
Gooden previously introduced the No Tax Dollars for the United Nation’s Immigration Invasion Act, which would defund the UN agencies funding the migrant caravans south of our border. Additionally, in January his office uncovered the Transportation Security Administration is allowing illegal migrants to fly using arrest warrants as ID.
You can read the full text of the legislation here.