“It is critical that the American people trust that their hard-earned dollars are being used to improve their lives—not to enrich government officials and their cronies.”
WASHINGTON – Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Gary Peters (D-MI) called for an investigation into recent reports that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) improperly awarded $220 million for a taxpayer-funded advertising campaign to companies with close ties to Secretary Kristi Noem and other senior DHS officials.
“We write to request that you initiate a formal investigation into disturbing reports that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) improperly awarded non-competitive contracts to companies with close ties to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and other senior officials, potentially in violation of federal laws and regulations designed to prevent self-dealing,” the senators wrote in a letter to DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari. “At a time when working-class families are struggling to afford basic necessities and get ahead, it is critical that the American people trust that their hard-earned dollars are being used to improve their lives—not to enrich government officials and their cronies.”
DHS has spent more than $200 million this year on an advertising campaign purportedly designed to reduce illegal immigration. Of that, $143 million was awarded to Safe America Media, a company created just days before the contract was finalized. Safe America Media then secretly funneled a significant portion of its award to the Strategy Group, a company with very close ties to Secretary Noem and other senior DHS officials. The Strategy Group played a key role in Secretary Noem’s South Dakota gubernatorial campaign in 2022, and the company’s CEO is married to current DHS chief spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.
“In addition, by invoking a national emergency, DHS was able to award this contract while circumventing federal contracting regulations requiring a fair and open competition, raising concerns that the Department misused emergency authorities to steer taxpayer funds toward politically connected entities,” the senators continued. “While DHS has claimed it did not engage in criminal activity, there is reason to believe that Secretary Noem’s dealings are part of a broader pattern of abuse and corruption.”
The senators also note that the advertising campaign mirrors previous allegations of corruption during Secretary Noem’s tenure as governor of South Dakota. In 2023, then-Governor Noem allegedly intervened to ensure the Strategy Group received an $8.5 million contract while the company’s CEO simultaneously worked for Noem in other capacities. Moreover, that same year, Strategy Group paid Madison Sheahan, then one of Secretary Noem’s aides and currently the deputy director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), up to $25,000 for “consulting.”
“The circumstances surrounding these contracts are suspicious and raise serious questions about Secretary Noem’s judgement and ability to guard the public trust. We request that you promptly conduct a full, fair and impartial investigation into this matter and that findings be reported to Congress and the public” the Senators concluded. “The public deserves to know that government officials are not using taxpayer dollars to enrich themselves and their friends on the backs of hardworking Americans.
Read the full letter HERE.
In his first year in the Senate, Gallego has fought to ensure that public officials and their families cannot exploit their positions for financial gain. Earlier this year, in the wake of President Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs causing massive swings in the stock market, Senator Gallego demanded that the White House provide information about potential violations of federal ethics and insider trading laws and called on the Office of Government Ethics to investigate. He also wrote to the Securities and Exchange Commission to determine whether President Trump, any members of his cabinet or other donors, insiders and Administration officials engaged in insider trading, market manipulation or other securities laws violations.
In April, Gallego introduced legislation which would establish an Inspector General (IG) at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to ensure that trade policy and tariff exclusions are made in the best interest of American workers and small businesses – not political donors and companies with high-priced lobbyists. He also supported the Curbing Officials’ Income and Nondisclosure (COIN) Act, theEnd Crypto Corruption Act, and theBan Congressional Stock Trading Act to ensure that elected officials make decisions in the best interest of the country, not their own bank accounts.
11.20.25