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From Fox News: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is using taxpayer money to erect billboards in Texas, offering help to those with friends and family in immigration custody.
A DHS source provided a photo of one of the billboards along an interstate in Texas, which reads, “Your brother in immigration custody has rights. We’re here to help.”
The ads are part of a campaign by the DHS’s Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (IDO), an independent office within DHS that assists individuals with complaints about potential violation of immigration detention standards or other misconduct by personnel. The office also provides oversight of immigration detention facilities.
Congress established the office in 2019, and currently, Michelle Brané serves as the IDO at DHS.
Fox News reporter Bill Melugin shared a photo and announced in a social media post:
Last week, I was tipped off about DHS billboards that have gone up in TX: “Your brother in immigration custody has rights, we’re here to help.”
The ads are for the DHS OIDO (Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman). This office was established by Congress in 2019 & was stood up in 2021 to “independently examine immigration detention to promote safe, humane conditions” & address complaints.
Multiple DHS contacts I’ve talked to, including in ICE & Border Patrol, are outraged about the billboards, telling me their agencies are already working with limited funding/resources, and DHS is spending money on billboards that they feel work against them.
“They’re more than insulting,” an ICE contact said.
“This is so wrong,” a Border Patrol agent told me.
I reached out to DHS last week with specific questions, including:
1) How much taxpayer money is being spent on these billboards, and how many have been paid for?
2) How many states are these billboards in?
3) How does DHS respond to criticism that the ads portray a soft on illegal immigration message from the very agency tasked with enforcing U.S. immigration laws?
I gave DHS 6 days to respond, including extending their deadline, but the agency did not answer any of those questions.
Instead, DHS provided background comment to me, pointing out that the OIDO was approved by Congress in 2019,
and is tasked with a mandate to independently review immigration detention to promote humane conditions & address complaints for illegal immigrants in immigration detention.
DHS added: “DHS and its employees provide the highest standard of care for individuals who are detained in its custody.”
TX Congressmen Chip Roy & Tony Gonzales are reacting in statements to @FoxNews.
@chiproytx: “The news that DHS is using taxpayer money to launch billboards advocating ‘rights’ for individuals in ‘immigration custody’ should be alarming because it’s a preview of the legal arguments that radical progressive democrats will use to argue against deportation of the millions dumped in America by Biden-Harris-Mayorkas.”
@RepTonyGonzales: “Time and again, we’ve seen DHS put an open borders agenda ahead of its mission to safeguard American families. Whether it’s FEMA splurging hundreds of millions of dollars on migrant housing or OIDO running ads like this, our government is hemorrhaging money on the wrong priorities. It’s time for Congress to pull the plug on programs like these.”
NEW: Last week, I was tipped off about DHS billboards that have gone up in TX:
“Your brother in immigration custody has rights, we’re here to help.”
The ads are for the DHS OIDO (Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman).
This office was established by Congress in 2019 &… pic.twitter.com/EuYQXCq7LE— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) October 29, 2024
The Border Patrol Union also shared a photo of the billboard and wrote in fury, “This DHS billboard (supported by Border Czar Harris) will only encourage and incentivize illegal immigration and the abuse of the asylum system to continue. This leads to record numbers of illegal aliens pouring across the border into our communities with little to no vetting. PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL STOP THE INVASION!”
Former President Donald Trump, the 2024 Republican nominee, reacted, “Kamala is now running billboards near the Border advertising FREE Legal Services for Illegal Alien Criminals. When I win, the billboards are coming down, and the Migrant Gangs are going home!”
Kamala is now running billboards near the Border advertising FREE Legal Services for Illegal Alien Criminals. When I win, the billboards are coming down, and the Migrant Gangs are going home! https://t.co/pW3hwQJJsf
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 29, 2024
Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Tex.) wrote, “Using taxpayer dollars to put up billboards to further DHS’ misguided border priorities is a slap in the face to our law enforcement and the American people. Congress needs to take a hard look at pulling the plug on programs like these.”
Using taxpayer dollars to put up billboards to further DHS’ misguided border priorities is a slap in the face to our law enforcement and the American people.
Congress needs to take a hard look at pulling the plug on programs like these. pic.twitter.com/ONrvmElv1D
— Rep. Tony Gonzales (@RepTonyGonzales) October 30, 2024
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