{"id":75692,"date":"2024-01-12T15:38:12","date_gmt":"2024-01-12T15:38:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/01\/12\/va-disputes-gop-claim-that-money-for-vets-is-going-to-migrants-instead\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:38:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:38:42","slug":"va-disputes-gop-claim-that-money-for-vets-is-going-to-migrants-instead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2024\/01\/12\/va-disputes-gop-claim-that-money-for-vets-is-going-to-migrants-instead\/","title":{"rendered":"VA disputes GOP claim that money for vets is going to migrants instead"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Republican lawmakers<\/a> are accusing Veterans Affairs officials of using resources meant for veterans to help immigrants<\/a> crossing the U.S. border instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But department leaders say those claims are baseless. And Democratic members of Congress argue the controversy is little more than an election year stunt<\/a> designed to enrage veterans and conservative voters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019re purposely dis-informing the public and trying to make them believe that money appropriated for veterans is being used on immigrants,\u201d said Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., ranking member of the House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee. \u201cAnd that\u2019s just not true.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fight is likely to grow even more contentious in coming days, with a House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee<\/a> hearing on VA funding misuse scheduled for Jan. 17. Department officials will face questions about assistance provided for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/a> operations, a frequent target of Republican ire.<\/p>\n\n\n\t