The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded contracts to two Republican-linked firms for a $200 million advertising campaign praising President Donald Trump's immigration policies, bypassing the full competitive bidding process, according to federal records reported by The Associated Press.
A DHS spokesperson told the outlet that the contract went through a "competitive procurement process." However, a federal document posted last week revealed that the agency cited Trump's national emergency declaration at the U.S.-Mexico border as justification for skipping standard bidding procedures as it constitutes "an unusual and compelling urgency."
