The U.S. Department of Homeland Security skipped the completely competitive bidding process and offered two Republican-related businesses the first part of a $200 million television ad campaign to praise President Trump for cracking down on illegal immigration.
DHS told the news outlet last month it had undergone the campaign’s “competitive procurement process.” However, in a document posted to a federal database on Friday, the agency said Trump’s declaration on a national emergency at the US-Mexico border constitutes “an extraordinary and persuasive urgency.”
The ad features the Secretary of Homeland Security in a blue suit standing against the background of the American flag, thanking Trump. The ads look at Trump signing an executive order, mixing campaign-style images of him flying in Air Force 1, flying in Air Force 1 with clips of a large group of immigrants, whilst sirens over Rio Grande and police cars.
Noem warns immigrants not to leave the United States or come. “If you’re here illegally, we’ll find you and expel you. She says in one of the videos.
One of the winning companies is People from Think, LLC, owned by Jaconanton, a Louisiana political consultant who served as the media advisor for Trump’s 2016 campaign. Connaughton appeared to have worked for the Louisiana governor in October 2023 with former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowsky in a Jeff Landry campaign. Lewandowski, a longtime NOEM advisor who has returned to his tenure as South Dakota governor, mentioned him in an X post as part of the team that helped select Landry.
Another company chosen for the contract was Safe America Media, LLC, which was incorporated into Delaware a few days before the solicitation, along with an address to the property owned by Republican consultant Mike McElwain. Safe America Media has already been awarded $16 million for advertising purchases.
Connaughton and McElwain did not respond to messages or calls seeking comment. DHS still calls it a “competitive process” in a statement provided to The Associated Press.
“Following the competitive process with multiple companies competing to provide the best service, products and prices to those who think both have won shared domestic and international campaign agreements,” he said. “Several career government officials oversee this competitive procurement process.”
Documents posted to the federal contract database in part include: “DHS needs an immediate domestic and international campaign to immediately leave illegal foreigners within the United States and its territory and order illegal immigration to the state.”
DHS reviewed publications and vendors in the industry specializing in hyper-target media and advertising services, narrowing their searches to four companies that can work immediately.
“Delaying the provision of these important communications to the public will increase the spread of misinformation,” the document says.
Noem shared the story behind the advertising campaign at a conservative political action conference last month. She suggested that more newspaper conferences be held to continue posting the public in immigration behaviour, but Trump called for an ad “to ensure that Americans know the truth about what you’re doing.”
“But he said, “I want the first ad, I want you to thank me. Thank you for closing the border.” I said, “Yes, sensei. Thank you for closing the border.”
The majority of the money spent so far on airing ads has been on English television stations worth over $2 million, but there is data from shows from ad tracking company Adimpact, compared to the $360,000 spent on broadcasting on Spanish language stations nationwide.
Data shows it is the most aired on television stations in Phoenix, Boston, Los Angeles, New York and Dallas. It also has tracked the large market operating on Fox News, with most broadcasts being filmed in the Washington and Philadelphia areas.
Recon wrote on the Associated Press. Washington AP writer Byron Tau contributed to this report.
