This post originally appeared at https://reforminggovernment.org/irgs-cio-uncovered-inappropriate-use-of-federal-covid-funds-by-city-of-madison-senator-stroebel-seeks-answers/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

April 4, 2024 

IRG’s CIO UNCOVERED INAPPROPRIATE USE OF FEDERAL COVID FUNDS BY CITY OF MADISON; SENATOR STROEBEL SEEKS ANSWERS

The City of Madison is sending COVID dollars to serve illegal immigrants

Delafield, WI – The Institute for Reforming Government’s (IRG) Center for Investigative Oversight (CIO) recently uncovered that the City of Madison has approved $700,000 of taxpayer dollars for illegal immigrants. The money, part of Madson’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), was received from the federal government in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, and was intended to help residents recover from the pandemic. According to records, the City of Madison has allocated nearly 10% of their SLFRF funds to nonprofits to provide services for undocumented immigrants, despite those immigrants being largely ineligible to otherwise receive direct federal or state aid. 

Upon learning of the discovery, State Senator Duey Stroebel (R-Cedarburg) sent a letter to the City of Madison seeking answers. Read the full letter here.

WHAT HAPPENED:  A CIO discovery has brought to light that the City of Madison has improperly approved $700,000 in COVID relief money for nonprofits to provide services for illegal immigrants. Now, Sen. Stroebel is demanding answers. 

WHY IT MATTERS: Hardworking Wisconsin taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent. They especially deserve to know how sending tax dollars to provide services to illegal immigrants in 2024 was “necessary” in response to and recovery from the “COVID-19 public health emergency” of 2020. It is unclear how grants to local nonprofits for “Services to Residents who are Undocumented” nearly five years following the pandemic meets the intent of the program.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: Senator Stroebel and IRG will continue pursuing answers from the City of Madison on this matter, seeking additional information relating to specific grant applications, including those that were rejected, and a breakdown of what the funds have been used for.

IRG’s General Counsel and Director of Oversight Jake Curtis released the following statement: 

“It is troubling to learn that the City of Madison is funneling taxpayer dollars intended to help Wisconsinites to illegal immigrants. Taxpayers need answers. Our team at the Center for Investigative Oversight is committed to working with our state and federal partners to bring to light answers for the hardworking taxpayers of our state.” 

Senator Duey Stroebel, Chair of the Senate Committee on Government Operations and Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Finance, released the following statement: 

“As a State Senator, it is my responsibility to be a steward of taxpayer dollars and look out for the interest of Wisconsin families. Wisconsinites deserve to know where this money is being spent and what it is being spent on. That is why, upon hearing of the City of Madison’s actions, my office has filed an open records request to investigate the City’s questionable use of SLFRF funds.”

For questions, please email Jake Curtis, IRG’s Chief Legal Counsel and Director of Oversight: [email protected] 

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IRG’s Center for Investigative Oversight was created in 2023 to hold government accountable.

The Institute for Reforming Government is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that seeks to simplify government at every level by offering policy solutions to thought leaders in American government in the areas of tax reform, government inefficiency, and burdensome regulations.