The Biden administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spent more than $22.6 billion in taxpayer dollars on grants benefiting illegal immigrants, including funding for cars, home loans, and business startups, according to a new watchdog report. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), a division within HHS, distributed the funds to nonprofit groups, raising concerns that the program acted as a “magnet” for illegal immigration.
The audit, conducted by OpenTheBooks, revealed that the ORR dramatically expanded the number of noncitizens eligible for assistance between 2020 and 2024. Over that period, grant spending surged, reaching a high of over $10 billion in fiscal year 2023 alone. The spending increase coincided with record-breaking numbers of illegal crossings at the southern border, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 2.4 million apprehensions in the same timeframe.
Nonprofits that received ORR grants provided illegal immigrants with up to $1.7 billion in various forms of financial assistance. This included small-business loans of up to $15,000, loans of up to $1,500 to repair credit history, and dollar-for-dollar matching savings plans for cars, homes, and college tuition. Additional funds covered emergency housing, legal assistance, and Medicaid services. Some programs had eligibility requirements, such as prior U.S. residency or income below twice the federal poverty level.