MARYLAND (WBFF) — As anti-ICE protests continue across Maryland, new questions are emerging over state funding for the immigrant advocacy group CASA, which has organized and led many of the demonstrations.
As the nonprofit openly protests the federal government, state records show Maryland’s government continues to fund the group. According to state data, CASA received more than $1 million in state taxpayer dollars last year. That includes approximately $826,000 from Maryland’s Department of Service and Civic Innovation, $212,000 from the Maryland Department of Health, and $65,000 from the Governor’s Office for Children last year.
“State taxpayers should not be funding organizations that are openly protesting and have civil disobedience,” argues taxpayer advocate David Williams.
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Williams says the issue is not CASA’s right to protest, but whether taxpayer dollars are being used appropriately and whether sufficient oversight exists to ensure the money is being used on direct services, rather than political activism.
“You really can’t delineate as to where the money is going and any money that is going to CASA, ultimately, part of it is going to support these protests,” said Williams.
He also raises concerns about the optics of continued funding, arguing it could put Maryland’s relationship with the federal government at risk at a time when the state is already facing fiscal challenges.
“There should be a certain code of conduct for nonprofit organizations, especially when you receive taxpayer dollars,” Williams said. “Governor Moore and the state legislature have to be smarter about this.”
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CASA disputes those claims, saying taxpayer dollars are not used for advocacy or protest activities. In a statement to FOX45 News, CASA said, “No public funds are ever used to support advocacy and protest activities at CASA, and our organization has robust and detailed financial and programmatic procedures to ensure that. Compliance is verified by independent third party annual audits and the government’s own detailed review.”
State officials also pushed back, saying grant funding is restricted to specific programs and subject to strict oversight. In a statement, Governor Moore’s office said it applies “rigorous fiscal oversight to ensure all grant funds are used lawfully and only for their intended public purpose, with clear reporting and accountability requirements.”
“Maryland does not fund speech or protests, but we do respect the First Amendment,” the statement goes on to say, “Lawful expression by an independent organization does not affect the State’s federal partnerships or funding so long as all rules are followed.”
However, as protests continue, the debate over public funding and nonprofit activism is likely to persist.
“The same people who might support CASA receiving taxpayer dollars—if a Republican ever becomes governor and tax dollars go to nonprofits they don’t agree with—I’m sure they’ll have another opinion,” said Williams.
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