U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday defended the Department of Homeland Security's $220 million expenditure for an advertising campaign focused on border security as members of Congress pressed her on how the contracts were awarded.
At a House panel hearing, Representative Joe Neguse of Colorado scrutinized a contracting notice that indicated DHS had restricted competition in February 2025 to four companies, citing an urgent need to stop illegal immigration. During the exchange, Neguse told Noem: "It is fraud, and ultimately, I think there’s going to be accountability," highlighting concerns about the speed and transparency of the procurement.
Noem, who oversees the administration's intensified immigration enforcement efforts, was questioned by both Democrats and Republicans earlier on Wednesday before a Senate panel about the contracting process and the selection of firms that received the funds. The campaign spots produced with the funding prominently featured Noem, including footage of her on horseback at Mount Rushmore in her former governor's home state of South Dakota.
Responding to lawmakers' concerns, Noem said on Tuesday that the contract had been awarded through "a competitive process" and that no political appointees participated in the award decisions. On Wednesday she reiterated her defense of the procurement, saying the contract was "all done correctly, all done legally." A DHS spokesperson also stated on Tuesday that career government employees supervise the procurement process.
Federal records show the contract was split between two companies linked to long-time Republican operatives. One of those firms, Safe America Media, was incorporated in Delaware one week before receiving the award and was allocated $143 million in federal funds. The other, a Louisiana-based company called People Who Think, received $77 million.
Neither of the companies could be immediately reached for comment. Separately, The Strategy Group - run by the husband of outgoing DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin - said on Wednesday it received $226,000 as a subcontractor on the campaign, an amount described as a small portion of the total contract value.
The exchanges in both chambers focused on the contractual terms and on how the vendors were chosen. Lawmakers pressed for clarity about the limited-competition notice and about the timing and structure of the awards. Noem maintained that the department's procedures were followed and that career procurement staff were responsible for oversight.
The matter remains under congressional scrutiny as members seek additional information about the contracting timeline, the rationale for limiting competition, and the relationships between the awarded firms and political operatives. The hearings underscored cross-party interest in the integrity of the procurement process for a high-profile communications campaign tied to immigration policy.