U.S. Customs and Border Protection spent a portion of money marked for food and medicine on dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles, and other piece of equipment, according to a new report.
NBC News cited a report from the Government Accountability Office that said the federal law enforcement agency used part of a $112 million fund set aside to help migrants on the items.
"If CBP lacks sufficient budget authority to make the adjustments, then it should report a violation of the Antideficiency Act as required by law," the GAO wrote in its report on the matter.
The money was included in the 2019 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., chairs the House Homeland Security Committee and said CBP "broke the law."
"Congress provided this additional funding for the primary purpose of improving conditions for migrants at the border and ensuring migrants were receiving adequate healthcare after the deaths of multiple children in custody," Thompson said, according to NBC. "Instead of helping migrants and improving conditions on the ground, CBP then broke the law by spending this taxpayer money on things that were not authorized — such as ATVs, dirt bikes, and computer systems."
The GAO report also claimed CBP used some of the money on its canine program, IT infrastructure, boats, vans, and other things.
The agency responded to the report by saying, "CBP charged a small subset of expenses in fiscal year 2019 to the incorrect account. We are working to itemize all such expenses, and correct our accounts as recommend by the GAO."
One year ago, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., noted that Congress approved $400 million in funds to address humanitarian issues at the U.S.-Mexico border but that the situation was still "gruesome and inhumane."
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.