This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Kristi Noem, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, has confirmed the return to the federal government of $59 million that workers at the Federal Emergency Management Agency has dispatched to New York City for the benefit of illegal aliens it is housing.
The decision to send the money violated President Donald Trump's orders against fraud and misspending by the federal bureaucracy and four workers at FEMA were fired for their actions.
Fox News reports DHS has confirmed it has "taken back" the money.
"Secretary Noem has clawed back the full payment that FEMA deep state activists unilaterally gave to NYC migrant hotels," a DHS official said.
The $59 million was identified earlier this week by the Department of Government Efficiency, which said the money was improperly sent for payments to luxury hotels for illegal aliens who have flooded into the sanctuary city.
DHS said the workers who issued the "egregious" payment were fired for "for circumventing leadership." They included the organization's chief financial officer, two analysts and a grant operator.
City Comptroller Brad Lander responded with a demand that the money be sent again.
"I call on the mayor to immediately pursue legal action to ensure the tens of millions of dollars stolen by Trump and DOGE are rightfully returned. If instead Mayor Adams continues to be President Trump's pawn, my Office will request to work in partnership with the New York City Law Department to pursue aggressive legal action," he claimed.
Mayor Eric Adams said he's asked for an emergency meeting with FEMA.
FEMA works with Customs and Border Control to dispense money to the Shelter and Services Program, which provides housing and other benefits for illegal aliens released into the United States.
This was an exploding program under Joe Biden's administration, which allowed millions of illegal aliens to cross into America under his open borders agenda.
As part of that, his administration reportedly lost track of hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied children., too.
President Trump already has instituted a number of program changes to crack down on illegal immigration, and to round up known criminal illegal aliens and deport them.
"These funds have been misappropriated going back to the Biden administration and New York City – a sanctuary city – has been wasting billions of dollars of taxpayer money to provide free housing, clothing, food, education and healthcare to illegal immigrants, including criminal aliens that are here illegally," charged, Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y.
"That money is meant for American disaster relief and instead is being spent on high-end hotels for illegals," Elon Musk, who heads Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, said. "A clawback demand will be made today to recoup those funds."
