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Boss of Trump’s Crisis-Hit $1B Self-Deportation Scheme Ordered to Come Clean

Salus has issued conflicting removal totals. Rep. Bennie Thompson tells PunchUp Congress must investigate.

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A senior lawmaker has told the multi-millionaire boss of Donald Trump’s crisis-hit self-deportation scheme that he must explain conflicting claims about how many migrants his firm has helped leave the country. Rep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, told PunchUp that Congress must probe Salus as DHS recompetes the $2.34 billion Project Homecoming contract. “If the Trump administration is going to award Salus with hundreds of millions in taxpayer funds through questionable procurement practices, it is incumbent for us not only to investigate DHS for its contracts with Salus, but we also must investigate Salus and determine if its claims are based in reality,” Thompson, 78, said. Analysis by PunchUp, the Daily Beast’s sister Substack, shows Salus has issued at least eight totals in as many months without saying whether they count actual departures or mere sign-ups. Salus also claimed each departure cost $4,500. That figure produces savings roughly $500 million below the $2.4 billion the company claims its scheme has saved the U.S. taxpayer “when compared to involuntary deportation, since the program began.” When asked to walk us through the discrepancy, Walters declined.

Tom Latchem exposes the secrets, scandals, and stories that powerful people and institutions want to keep under wraps. Follow all of his reporting at PunchUp on Substack.