FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chairmen Green, Brecheen Probe Taxpayer-Funded NGO Suspected of Helping Illegal Aliens Evade Law Enforcement
WASHINGTON—Today, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) and Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability Chairman Josh Brecheen (R-OK) sent a letter to the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) in response to a video reportedly showing employees of the nongovernmental organization (NGO)—which was awarded over $1 million in taxpayer funding since 2022—advising illegal aliens on how to evade apprehension by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The Chairmen requested any communications or materials produced for immigration-related seminars since November 4, 2024, including the March 8 seminar where the video was allegedly filmed, any federal grant or sub-grant applications submitted on behalf of the CPC or affiliated organizations, an accounting of how government funds were used by the CPC since January 2021, a list of any political appointees in the Biden-Harris administration who corresponded with the CPC, and information on any foreign funding received by the CPC. The deadline for the requested information is April 30, 2025. Read the full letter here.
Read more in the Daily Caller via Jason Hopkins.
In a letter addressed to CPC’s President and CEO Wayne Ho, the Chairmen wrote, “The Committee is deeply concerned that CPC and other NGOs that receive taxpayer dollars may be advising or training illegal aliens on strategies to avoid cooperation with immigration officials. In the undercover video, Ms. Carlyn Cowen, CPC’s Chief Policy and Public Affairs Officer, is seen explaining strategies for avoiding and potentially impeding immigration officials during a seminar in New York. Ms. Cowen advises her audience, among other suggestions, that ‘hardening your physical space,’ is a priority in preparing for potential encounters with immigration officials. Similarly, Ms. Janice Northia, a Community Engagement Manager from the New York Immigration Coalition, explained to the audience how to identify and minimize contact with immigration officials.”
The Chairmen continued, “Approximately fifty-five percent of CPC’s revenue comes from federal and state government grants. While CPC was awarded more than $1.4 million in direct federal grants from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) since 2022, CPC may have received additional federal funding awarded through New York. For example, between June 30, 2022, and June 30, 2023, CPC received at least $4,754,187.00 in HHS-funded awards passed through various programs operated by New York and the City of New York.”
The Chairmen concluded,“In recent years, CPC reported significant revenue levels, especially since 2021. For example, from fiscal years 2011 to 2016, CPC reported an average revenue of approximately $21.8 million. From fiscal years 2017 to 2020, CPC reported an average revenue of about $30.9 million. In fiscal year 2021, however, CPC reported a revenue of about $50.1 million, which then nearly doubled to $97.4 million in fiscal year 2022. Meanwhile, leading up to 2021, CPC advocated for ‘clemency and parole to all [illegal] immigrants’ and supported an organization dedicated to abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”
Background:
Last month, Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology Chairman Dale Strong (R-AL) joined Chairmen Green and Brecheen in sending letters to the mayors of New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago, investigating whether federal funds were given to entities engaged in or facilitating illegal activities during the Biden-Harris administration’s historic border crisis. Read the full letters to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. Amid the Biden-Harris administration’s historic border crisis, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Shelter and Services Program (SSP) allocated and distributed $59,302,125.07 to the City of New York for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 through its SSP-Allocated (SSP-A) program and $22,169,838 to the City of New York for FY2024 through its SSP-Competitive (SSP-C) program.
