Press Releases

Today, Congressman Van Drew announced that he will be introducing legislation that would prohibit the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from allocating money to transport illegal migrants using American taxpayer dollars. 

Currently, FEMA is directly providing funding to nonprofit organizations that transport illegal migrants, via commercial airlines, around the country. Through the American Rescue Plan, which Congressman Van Drew opposed, Democrats awarded FEMA $110 million to specifically help nonprofit, governmental organizations, and state government facilities to aid illegal migrants encountered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at the southern border. 

Additionally, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) allows illegal migrants to use a warrant for removal/deportation or a warrant for arrest as identification at TSA checkpoints. These migrants are in our country illegally, have no valid identification, but the TSA is allowing these individuals to show an arrest warrant to fly on commercial airlines. Congressman Van Drew co-sponsors a bill introduced by his colleague, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), that would prohibit TSA from accepting arrest warrants as a method of identification. 

"There is absolutely no reason that American taxpayer dollars should be used to fund the transport of illegal migrants all over the country," said Congressman Van Drew. "This administration has shown us time and time again that their priorities do not lie with the American people. The administration is fine with our frontline workers, who worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, to be fired over a vaccine mandate, but will allow illegal migrants to enter our country with no vaccine requirement and use taxpayer dollars to fly them all over the country. Illegal migrants that provide an arrest warrant at a TSA checkpoint should be detained and deported, and certainly should not be provided free airfare.

"I am proud to introduce legislation to prohibit taxpayer dollars to fund the transport of illegal migrants and proud to join my colleague in ensuring that illegal migrants cannot identify themselves through an arrest warrant to get on commercial flights."