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The records confirmed for Gooden the role that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are playing in moving illegals into the U.S. NGOs are incentivized by taxpayer dollars to help move illegals across. One of the biggest offenders is Catholic Charities, Gooden said.
"Covenant House is one of them. Catholic Charities is a huge offender and the biggest recipient of taxpayer dollars. They've received billions … over the years to set up shop on the border and help facilitate this crisis. None of them want to talk about it when you ask them questions," Gooden said on Washington Watch Wednesday.
According to Gooden, who cited Customs and Border Patrol documents, Covenant House – an affiliate of Catholic Charities – was listed as a sponsor address for Jose Ibarra, the illegal immigrant accused in the murder of coed Lakin Riley. In a Fox News report, Covenant House denied sponsoring Ibarra.
"These NGOs are also incentivized because they're making money for every crosser, everyone that they go down and – quote – 'take in' and help to get across and help to get on an airplane or a bus to wherever it is they're going. They're getting paid by the government," Gooden told show host Tony Perkins.
"We've seen as the unfortunate fruits of this horrible, horrible plan tragic murders such as Lakin Riley's. We see a rise in crime across our nation – and what these NGOs are doing is facilitating all of this," Gooden said.
Riley's murder wasn't the first in which an illegal was accused. It brought back tragic memories for Jacqueline Medina, the mother of 16-year-old Lizbeth Medina, a Texas girl allegedly killed by Rafael Govea Romero, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, last December.
Jacqueline Medina this week told Fox News there should be "stricter laws in place to protect our children and communities from individuals with violent criminal histories, regardless of their immigration status."
Good intentions at the start
Gooden said most NGOs have pure intentions when they begin their efforts to assist illegals. But invariably, those intentions get lost in the cash flow.
"They're doing it in the name of good Christian intent, and that is to take care of those who need help," he explained. "But … by going down to the border and passing out gift cards and saying, 'If you can just cross this border, we'll help you go to wherever you're going,' they're actually making this problem worse."
Gooden said NGOs are immediately on the defensive when he contacts them – if there's any response at all. "… They're making money off the American taxpayer to do it, and that's what they don't want to talk about," he shared.
"They say people like me are wrong to criticize, that we don't know what we're talking about. My response is if what you're doing is so great, then why do you refuse to answer any of the questions that members of Congress ask?
"We've sent letters asking for information, but they don't want to discuss it because what they don't want is the American people to understand just how bad things are and how many of these NGOs are bankrolling their operation with taxpayer dollars and helping to fund this invasion," he said.
Gooden contends the work of the NGOs helps the Biden administration hide, to some degree, the amount and types of services provided for illegals. And it's not only about food and shelter – many of these groups pay for travel to destinations beyond Texas.
Then there's this: According to The Heritage Foundation, the NGOs operate as the final link in a vast, transnational human-smuggling operation with the Mexican drug cartels as the preceding step.
There's cash going out … but no receipts
The Texas Republican says no one is overseeing the federal money being paid to NGOs – and that as long as Joe Biden is in the White House, it will remain so.
"It's so deceptive because the president will stand up and say that Republicans are standing in the way – 'and if they would just give me more money for border security, then we'd have an easier time down at the border.' But what he's not telling you is he doesn't want money for border security – he wants money to process migrants."
The problem, he concluded, is there's no desire on the part of the Biden White House to actually stem the flow of the illegal crossings.
"And that's why we've had this tragic murder. That's why we have members of the terrorist watch list coming across, and these are just the ones that get caught. We have no idea who's coming across our southern border," Gooden stated.
