WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the American Accountability Foundation (AAF) released a copy of a no-bid contract that the Department of Homeland Security awarded to a non-profit to house illegal aliens with Best Western. The non-profit, Endeavors, had hired a Biden transition team official and possessed no previous experience in housing illegal aliens. Best Western’s decision to house illegal aliens is an about-face from its policy during the Trump administration.
Importantly, the no-bid Endeavors contract also lists seven facilities where illegal aliens were supposed to be housed. However, only one, the Best Western near the El Paso Airport, is in use. Another facility, El Paso Comfort Suites, was not even available, for it was still under construction when Endeavors listed it in the contract. All the other facilities refused to house illegal aliens.
DHS’s contract with Endeavors also contains a gag order, blocking any public oversight. It reads, “The Service Provider shall not provide any information to the press concerning this contract without prior approval from the ICE PAO. The Service Provider shall immediately notify the ICE PAO of any media or other organizational inquiries. There shall be no public disclosures regarding this contract made by the Contractor (or any subcontractors) without review and approval of such disclosure by ICE Public Affairs.”
The contract’s language also makes it clear that the Biden administration refuses to admit that the individuals being housed are in the country illegally. One clause, for example, reads, “Residents will not be referred to as ‘prisoners,’ ‘detainees,’ ‘aliens,’ or ‘inmates.’” AAF Founder Thomas Jones issued the following statement:
“The DHS contract with Endeavors exposes a number of serious problems. Best Western’s decision to abandon its opposition to using its facilities to detain illegal aliens is further evidence that American corporate leadership is now more concerned with appeasing the Biden administration than doing what’s in the best interest of shareholders, let alone national security. Congress must remember Best Western’s craven act the next time any big business comes to Washington groveling for a handout. Further, the Biden administration’s refusal to even label the individuals illegally entering our country as “aliens” reveals its total disregard for the rule of law. The administration will not be able to tackle a problem it can’t even accurately describe.”
The Endeavors contract can be accessed here.