FEMA CFO fired for blowing taxpayer funds on illegal aliens’ hotel stays



Federal Emergency Management Agency Chief Financial Officer Mary Comans was fired on Tuesday, Blaze News has confirmed.

Elon Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, claimed that “FEMA sent $59M LAST WEEK to luxury hotels in New York City to house illegal migrants.”

'Firings include FEMA’s Chief Financial Officer, two program analysts and a grant specialist.'

“Sending this money violated the law and is in gross insubordination to the President’s executive order,” he added.

Musk argued that the funds were allocated for “American disaster relief” and not intended to be “spent on high end hotels for illegals.”

Acting FEMA Director Cameron Hamilton pledged to stop the payments and ensure that those involved would be “held accountable.”

On Tuesday morning, reports surfaced that four FEMA employees had been fired for “circumventing leadership” by distributing the funds. However, the names of the workers were not immediately revealed.

The Department of Homeland Security wrote in a Tuesday statement, “Effective immediately, FEMA is terminating the employment of four individuals for circumventing leadership to unilaterally make egregious payments for luxury NYC hotels for migrants. Firings include FEMA’s Chief Financial Officer, two program analysts and a grant specialist.”

“Under President Trump and Secretary [Kristi] Noem’s leadership, DHS will not sit idly and allow deep state activists to undermine the will and safety of the American people,” the statement added.

President Donald Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, "FEMA spent tens of millions of dollars in Democrat areas, disobeying orders, but left the people of North Carolina high and dry. It is now under review and investigation. THE BIDEN RUN FEMA HAS BEEN A DISASTER. FEMA SHOULD BE TERMINATED! IT HAS BEEN SLOW AND TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE. INDIVIDUAL STATES SHOULD HANDLE STORMS, ETC., AS THEY COME. BIG SAVINGS, FAR MORE EFFICIENT!!!"

On FEMA’s website, Comans is described as “a longtime public servant who has served as FEMA’s Acting Chief Operating Officer and Acting External Affairs Director as well as numerous positions across the Department of Homeland Security Headquarters and its components.”

“In each of these roles, Ms. Comans has brought professionalism and leadership that has reinforced her reputation as an efficient, effective manager within the federal government,” the website states.

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Kristi Noem takes charge, rights Biden’s and Mayorkas’ wrongs at DHS



Donald Trump’s second presidential administration has stormed into Washington like a Category 5 hurricane, dismantling the bureaucratic rot left by Joe Biden and previous presidents at an astonishing pace.

Among the high-profile disruptors in Trump’s Cabinet, few have made a more dramatic impact than Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

The damage inflicted on America’s borders and law enforcement agencies during the Biden years is severe, and fixing it will not be easy.

Since taking office on January 25, Noem has been everywhere. She has joined Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on arrest operations in New York, inspected DHS security measures in New Orleans ahead of the Super Bowl, and accompanied Border Patrol agents in Texas — both by helicopter and on horseback.

Kristi Noem’s border visits are more than just photo ops — they mark a long-overdue corrective to the disastrous tenure of her predecessor, Alejandro Mayorkas.

Under Mayorkas’ “leadership,” more than 10 million illegal aliens entered the United States. When the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that DHS could not mass parole illegal aliens into the country, he expanded the practice anyway. Since fiscal year 2021, authorities have caught 362 individuals on the terrorist watchlist illegally crossing the Southwest border. That figure is just one piece of the overwhelming evidence showing how Mayorkas and Biden enabled an unprecedented border crisis.

The consequences of Mayorkas’ mismanagement have been severe, but his gaslighting only deepened the public’s frustration. Throughout the Biden administration, Americans watched him testify before Congress and speak to friendly corporate media outlets, repeatedly insisting that the southern border was secure — despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Instead of enforcing immigration laws, Mayorkas actively encouraged illegal crossings. His DHS even introduced the CBP One phone app, which Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and others described as a “concierge service for illegal immigrants.”

Mayorkas’ tenure also devastated the agencies under his command. With Border Patrol effectively transformed from a law enforcement agency into a welcoming committee for illegal aliens, more than 4,000 agents left the department since October 2020. Retirement rates more than doubled compared to the previous two administrations. Morale plummeted not just within the Border Patrol but also at ICE and other agencies under DHS.

Against this backdrop, Noem’s ride with the Del Rio horse patrol unit in Texas carried particular significance. In 2021, five members of the unit saw their reputations destroyed when the government’s highest officials and the media falsely accused them of wrongdoing over a misinterpreted photograph.

During a chaotic scene involving Haitian migrants, mounted agents were photographed with their horses’ reins flying through the air. Anti-border activists assumed the worst, immediately accusing the agents of whipping migrants.

Mayorkas, who initially defended the agents, quickly reversed course, declaring himself “horrified” by the images and vowing swift punishment. Biden, ignoring due process and the presumption of innocence, proclaimed, “It’s outrageous. I promise you those people will pay.”

The accusation against the Del Rio horse patrol had one major flaw: The photographer who captured the image stated that no whipping had occurred. Furthermore, Border Patrol does not issue whips to mounted agents.

Rather than admit their mistake, Mayorkas and Biden allowed the accused agents to endure months of public scorn, their reputations unjustly tarnished. A nearly 10-month inquiry confirmed that the agents had not whipped migrants, yet they still faced internal disciplinary action.

In a quiet acknowledgment of the injustice, DHS last year discreetly awarded a service medal to one of the mounted agents — a meager attempt at redemption but far from the public apology the patrol deserved. It remains one of the most shameful episodes in the department’s history.

During her Texas visit, Noem rode horseback with some of the falsely accused agents, signaling a commitment to repairing the relationship between DHS leadership and frontline personnel.

“The last leadership team at DHS, and Mayorkas, he rode over them,” Noem told Fox News’ Lawrence Jones. “I think it’s important today that they know I ride with them.”

The damage inflicted on America’s borders and law enforcement agencies during the Biden years is severe, and fixing it will not be easy. But Noem’s energy, leadership, and management style suggest she is up to the task.

Trump admin revokes protected status extension for Venezuelan nationals



President Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Wednesday that the administration had terminated a Temporary Protected Status extension for Venezuelan nationals.

TPS shields foreign nationals from deportation based on temporary conditions — such as armed conflicts and natural disasters — in their country of origin. Under TPS, eligible foreign nationals cannot be deported and can obtain employment and travel authorization.

'Before he left town, Mayorkas signed an order that said for 18 months they were going to extend this protection to people.'

Former President Joe Biden’s administration provided TPS to migrants from a number of nations, including Venezuela, Afghanistan, Haiti, and Honduras.

With just 10 days left in Biden’s presidency, former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced an 18-month extension to TPS for Ukraine, Sudan, El Salvador, and Venezuela.

The last-minute extension would have granted Venezuelan nationals deportation protections until October 2026.

Mayorkas contended that the extension was necessary due to “conditions in Venezuela,” stating that the country has experienced food insecurity, a lack of access to basic services, a health crisis, political repression, and criminal activity.

However, on Tuesday, Noem vacated Mayorkas’ notice for Venezuela. The existing extensions are slated to expire in April and September.

Noem stated that the DHS is required to decide at regular intervals whether to extend protections. She argued that Mayorkas’ last-minute extension was announced too early “given the exceedingly brief period” since the initial issue date.

The New York Times reported that Noem’s decision could impact more than 600,000 Venezuelan nationals currently residing in the U.S.

A DHS official told the Times that Mayorkas’ extension appeared to be an effort to tie the Trump administration’s hands.

Noem must decide by Saturday whether she would like to issue her own TPS extension. If she does not decide by then, TPS for Venezuelans will be extended for another six months.

Noem told Fox News, “Before he left town, Mayorkas signed an order that said for 18 months they were going to extend this protection to people that are on temporary protected status, which meant that they were going to be able to stay here and violate our laws for another 18 months.”

“We stopped that,” she declared.

The influx of Venezuelan nationals arriving in the U.S. has brought with it the violent transnational gang Tren de Aragua. The notorious group has been linked to crimes across the nation, including apartment takeovers in Colorado. The Trump administration has pledged to prioritize removing these dangerous offenders from the streets.

Noem joined Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on their first raids in New York City, where officers captured a TDA gang leader who was captured on surveillance video storming through an Aurora, Colorado, apartment complex in August with other armed men.

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Trump's first NYC ICE raids snag Tren de Aragua gang leader tied to viral Colorado apartment incident



President Donald Trump's Immigration and Customs Enforcement launched its first raids in New York early Tuesday morning, resulting in the arrest of a notorious gang leader and other violent illegal alien criminals.

Police sources told the New York Post that ICE's first arrests involved individuals with warrants for crimes including burglary, menacing, kidnapping, extortion, and other violent offenses.

'We are getting the dirtbags off these streets.'

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Fox News that the early morning raids targeted "murderers, kidnappers, and individuals charged of assault and burglary."

One of the individuals apprehended by ICE was a Dominican national wanted for a double homicide in his home country.

Federal immigration agents also arrested 25-year-old Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, a Tren de Aragua ringleader tied to a viral surveillance video from August that captured armed suspected gang members storming through an Aurora, Colorado, apartment complex.

Zambrano-Pacheco was arrested by DEA agents and Department of Homeland Security officers at the apartment complex in the Bronx early Tuesday morning. He faces kidnapping, burglary, and menacing charges.

New DHS Secretary Kristi Noem joined ICE during its first New York City raids this week.

"We're here in New York City this morning. We are getting the dirtbags off these streets," she stated.

Noem posted a video on social media showing law enforcement officials arresting a "criminal alien with kidnapping, assault & burglary charges."

"We are doing this right — doing exactly what President @realDonaldTrump promised the American people — making our streets safe," she wrote.

The Post reported that the New York Police Department issued an internal memo reminding officers that they may partner with federal immigration officials regarding criminal investigations but that the city's sanctuary laws prevent them from aiding in deportation efforts.

ICE reported that on January 27, it arrested 1,179 and lodged 853 detainers. The following day, it made another 969 arrests and filed 869 detainer requests.

Border czar Tom Homan has stated that ICE is prioritizing the arrest of safety threats but noted that anyone in the country illegally is "on the table" for deportation.

Homan told ABC News, "You're going to see the numbers steadily increase, the number of arrests nationwide, as we open up the aperture."

"Right now, it's concentrating on public safety threats [and] national security threats. That's a smaller population," he continued. "So we're going to do this on a priority [basis], that's President Trump's promise. But as that aperture opens, there'll be more arrests nationwide."

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Trump moves to deport 1.4 million migrants admitted under Biden's parole programs



President Donald Trump's Department of Homeland Security announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement can deport foreign nationals who were allowed into the United States under one of former President Joe Biden's parole programs.

A Thursday memo obtained by ABC News stated that migrants who have "been granted parole under a policy that may be paused, modified, or terminated" could be subject to expedited removal.

'Expands the scope of expedited removal to the statutory maximum.'

The memo, written by acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman, indicated that Trump's administration is empowering ICE to revoke the legal status of the roughly 1.4 million foreign nationals who were allowed into the country under two Biden-era parole programs: the CBP One app and the CHNV.

The CBP One app enabled 1,450 foreign nationals per day to schedule appointments at a port of entry to claim asylum. On Inauguration Day, Trump shut down the controversial mobile application, canceling any existing appointments.

The Biden administration's app permitted more than 919,000 individuals into the country since it was established in January 2023.

The CHNV program allowed 30,000 individuals per month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the country with temporary legal status for two years. The program allowed 530,000 foreign nationals to enter the U.S.

Last week, a DHS spokesperson accused the Biden administration of abusing "the humanitarian parole program to indiscriminately allow 1.5 million migrants to enter our country."

"This was all stopped on day one of the Trump administration. This action will return the humanitarian parole program to its original purpose of looking at migrants on a case-by-case basis," the spokesperson added.

The DHS memo instructed ICE to review immigration cases individually to determine whether a foreign national should be placed in expedited removal or removal proceedings.

It read, "Take all steps necessary to review the alien's case and consider, in exercising your enforcement discretion, whether any such alien should be placed in removal proceedings; and review the alien's parole status to determine, in exercising your enforcement discretion, whether parole remains appropriate in light of any changed legal or factual circumstances."

Huffman explained that the memo aimed to provide "guidance regarding how to exercise enforcement discretion in implementing" policies outlined in a January 21 notice titled "Designating Aliens for Expedited Removal."

"That notice expands the scope of expedited removal to the statutory maximum," Huffman wrote.

According to the notice, the statutory maximum allows the federal government to issue expedited removals for foreign nationals who have been in the U.S. for less than two years without requiring immigration hearings.

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Illegal alien kills Border Patrol agent in Vermont moments after Trump takes office: Report



A Border Patrol agent was "fatally shot in the line of duty" on Monday near the United States-Canada border, a Department of Homeland Security press release revealed.

As the tragic event unfolded, President Donald Trump was being sworn in to office, with one of his top priorities being to secure the border and put an end to illegal immigration.

'Our hearts and prayers go out to the family, friends, and coworkers of our fallen brother in green in Vermont.'

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman stated, "Every single day, our Border Patrol agents put themselves in harm's way so that Americans and our homeland are safe and secure. My prayers and deepest condolences are with our Department, the Agent's family, loved ones, and colleagues."

"This incident is being swiftly investigated, and DHS will release additional information as soon as it becomes available," Huffman added.

While the DHS did not reveal the agent's identity, it noted that the officer was assigned to the Swanton Sector, the most heavily trafficked northern border section.

Local reports stated that the unidentified agent was fatally shot in the neck while conducting a traffic stop on Interstate 91 in Coventry, Vermont, at around 3:15 p.m.

The investigation, which remains ongoing, has been taken over by the FBI's Albany office.

The interstate was shut down in both directions while the agency continued to "gather evidence and process the scene."

"One U.S. Border Patrol Agent was killed, along with one subject. Another subject was injured and is in custody," the FBI stated. "While there is no threat to the public, Interstate 91 will remain closed due to investigative activity."

— (@)

NewsNation's Ali Bradley reported that the suspect was an illegal immigrant who was a "visa overstay," according to sources.

"The shooter is also dead. A woman was injured in the altercation, her status and condition are not known at this time," Bradley wrote in a post on X.

On Monday evening, Bradley provided an update, stating that Customs and Border Protection sources revealed the identity of the agent as 44-year-old David Maland, who had been with the agency for nearly a decade.

She stated that Maland had reportedly recently transferred from Texas to Vermont.

The National Border Patrol Council released a statement regarding the incident.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to the family, friends, and coworkers of our fallen brother in green in Vermont," the union wrote.

Vermont lawmakers, including Senator Bernie Sanders (I), Senator Peter Welch (D), and Representative Becca Balint (D), released a joint statement expressing their condolences.

"Our deepest condolences go out to the agent's family, and to the Border Patrol. We will continue to monitor this situation with federal and state authorities and are appreciative of the first responders and emergency medical service providers who responded to the scene," the lawmakers wrote.

"Border Patrol agents do important work protecting our borders," their statement continued. "They deserve our full support in terms of staffing, pay, and working conditions. We look forward to working with the agency to make sure that they have all the resources they need to do the enormously important work that is their responsibility. Together, we must do everything possible to prevent future tragedies like what happened today."

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