Catholic Charities of San Antonio, a Catholic charity in Texas, denies allegations by both Democratic and Republican U.S. lawmakers that it has misused emergency funds to purchase plane tickets for migrants.
Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and Representative Monica De La Cruz (R-TX) accused the organization of using taxpayer dollars from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to transport asylum seekers via air travel to other locations.
Jose Antonio Fernandez, CEO of the San Antonio-based archdiocese, told CNA that his nonprofit has provided airline transportation to migrants but maintains it is within FEMA’s rules associated with the Emergency Food and Shelter Program. He added that no such transportation has been offered since the end of last year.
Fernandez stated, “The funds were given to us to provide food, clothing, all these activities, including transportation. It’s not my interpretation, it is a fact; many companies in the U.S. provide transportation because it is allowed. If you contact FEMA, they will tell you that, yes, you are actually allowed to provide transportation.”
However, Cuellar and De La Cruz claim that FEMA funds are intended for food, shelter, and humanitarian expenses, not for airline transportation. Cuellar believes that such transportation encourages illegal migration and uses taxpayer dollars to help migrants travel elsewhere. He said he has heard from nonprofits that referenced free rides provided by Catholic Charities.
A spokeswoman for Catholic Charities of San Antonio clarified that the nonprofit is eligible to receive $10.8 million in additional funding through the FEMA Shelter and Services Program for its MRS Centro de Bienvenida temporary shelter, which has provided assistance to over 305,000 people since September 2022.
De La Cruz argues that this money should not be used to subsidize illegal migration.
Newsweek has attempted to reach out to both lawmakers and Catholic Charities for comment.
