Soros-backed (Chicago-based) open borders group suing Ron DeSantis violates federal law

EXCLUSIVE — A George Soros-backed immigration nonprofit group that is suing Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and supports open borders has run afoul of a federal disclosure law.

Alianza Americas alleged in a September lawsuit against DeSantis that he "intentionally targeted" illegal immigrants upon Florida's government flying them to Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. That same organization, which has raked in over $1.5 million from Soros's Open Society Foundations, has failed to provide the Washington Examiner its 2021 tax forms within the 30-day period required under IRS rules.

"Alianza Americas has violated IRS law by not producing their 2021 990 Form within 30 days of a written request," Paul Kamenar, counsel to the National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative watchdog group, told the Washington Examiner.

Kamenar said that Alianza could be subject to daily fines of up to a maximum of $10,000 and a personal penalty of $1,000. His organization previously filed an IRS complaint in October against Alianza that alleged the charity may have failed to disclose lobbying during 2019 and 2020.

Following that complaint, charity experts, including Kamenar, told the Washington Examiner it appears Alianza also seemingly lobbied in 2021 — which would have to be reported on tax forms that are currently nonpublic.

In part, the Washington Examiner requested Alianza's 2021 tax forms to verify whether or not the group claimed it engaged in lobbying that year. A first written request was made on Nov. 28, followed by two written requests on Dec. 23 and Dec. 27.

No response has been given as of this writing, even though Alianza did, in fact, file its tax forms in 2021, according to the IRS.

Attempts by at least one outside organization to obtain Alianza's tax forms in-person have also been unsuccessful, the Washington Examiner has learned. Nonprofit groups that receive an in-person request for their tax forms must provide them that same day, according to the IRS.

On Dec. 9 and Dec. 16, the Chicago GOP went to the Chicago address listed on Alianza's latest public tax forms. However, there were no employees on site, according to the group's spokesman, Jeff Fiedler.

"Twice we had Chicago Republican Party staff visit their alleged office location in Little Village, Chicago, and while there are instructions on the door to deposit Alianza Americas's mail at the address, neighbors relayed to our staff that Alianza Americas no longer occupied the premises," Fiedler told the Washington Examiner.

"I guess it's not surprising that they operate like a shadow organization, when it would seem that they are repeatedly disregarding the rules, evading investigation, while likely breaching a series of laws designed to maintain the sovereignty of the United States."

In addition to allegations that Alianza may have violated federal law by failing to disclose lobbying, Republican lawmakers have raised concerns over whether or not Alianza may have illegally used federal grant money for lobbying. Alianza received $8.5 million from the Department of Health and Human Services in 2021, records show.

Federal law prohibits grants from being used "directly or indirectly" to "pay for any personal service, advertisement, telegram, telephone, letter, printed or written matter, or other device" to sway the government to take any position on policy or law.

"As such, we are requesting a review of all grants received by Alianza Americas as well as the publicly disclosed actions taken by Alianza Americas that would be in violation of the law and federal regulations," Reps. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) wrote in a joint letter to the HHS in October 2022.

The IRS declined a request for comment.