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Open Recommendations

Disaster Contracting: Actions Needed to Encourage Advance Contract Use and Improve Information Sharing and Oversight
GAO-26-108121
Jun 09, 2026
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6 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should define the Procurement Disaster Assistance Team's and Regional Offices' roles and responsibilities in encouraging state, local, and tribal governments to award advance contracts for debris removal, including how they should coordinate and share information. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should ensure that the Procurement Disaster Assistance Team updates its training materials to include quality information, such as other governments' success stories using advance contracts. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Corps of Engineers The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works should ensure that the Chief of Engineers and the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conduct an analysis of the information sharing practices for debris removal missions, including the differences between the Hurricane Helene and Los Angeles wildfires, and identify any lessons learned for responding to future disasters. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should take steps, such as providing training on how to use checklists, to ensure Consolidated Resource Center officials are aware of cost eligibility policy requirements for reviewing grants involving noncompetitive and time-and-material contracts. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should conduct regular assessments to identify risks of fraud, waste, and abuse in FEMA's debris removal program. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should ensure that the PA program develops a process for addressing fraud, waste, and abuse risks identified in regular risk assessments of its debris removal program, including evaluating and revising its controls for these risks and, if necessary, instituting additional controls. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Immigration Detention: Waste and Performance Issues at Camp East Montana Provide Valuable Lessons for Future Facilities
GAO-26-108886
Jun 09, 2026
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4 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement The Director of ICE should take action to incorporate cost savings measures, such as tiered pricing for meals and other operations and services, into its detention facility contracts, including the contract for Camp East Montana, to account for fluctuations in population. (Recommendation 1)
Open
DHS agreed with this recommendation. In May 2026, DHS stated that it is shifting the Camp East Montana contract to a tiered pricing model and estimated it will do so by the end of 2026. We will continue to monitor ICE's efforts to address this recommendation.
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement The Director of ICE should develop controls to ensure that new facilities are inspected as required and meet applicable detention standards prior to housing detained noncitizens. (Recommendation 2)
Open
DHS agreed with this recommendation. In May 2026, DHS stated that ICE's existing policy on pre-occupancy inspections addresses this recommendation. However, we found that ICE did not adhere to this policy when it failed to conduct a pre-occupancy inspection prior to the opening of Camp East Montana. As a result, we continue to believe that ICE should develop controls to ensure that new facilities are inspected as required and meet applicable detention standards prior to housing detained noncitizens. We will continue to monitor ICE's efforts to address this recommendation.
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should assess the acquisition of Camp East Montana and identify any lessons learned to inform future acquisitions in support of ICE's detention efforts. (Recommendation 3)
Open
DOD agreed to implement this recommendation, and we will continue to monitor the Army's efforts to address it.
Department of Homeland Security The Secretary of Homeland Security should assess the acquisition of Camp East Montana and identify any lessons learned to inform future acquisitions in support of ICE's detention efforts. (Recommendation 4)
Open
DHS agreed with this recommendation. In May 2026, DHS stated that ICE and DHS's Office of the Chief Readiness Support Officer will collaborate to assess the acquisition of Camp East Montana and capture lessons learned, successes and challenges, and ways to improve future actions. We will continue to monitor DHS's efforts to address this recommendation.

Border Security: Additional Information Could Inform Enforcement Decisions for Noncitizens Paroled at the Southwest Border
GAO-26-107765
May 18, 2026
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement The Director of ICE should obtain information from CBP on the parole status of noncitizens CBP paroled at the southwest border and make that information accessible to relevant ICE officials to inform ICE's monitoring and enforcement decisions. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection: Resources Deployed and Challenges Faced in Securing the Northern Border
GAO-26-107501
Feb 12, 2026
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Customs and Border Protection The Commissioner of CBP should develop and implement a plan with strategies for addressing workforce gaps in the Law Enforcement Information Systems Specialist position.
Open
DHS agreed with this recommendation. In commenting on a draft of our report in September 2025, DHS stated that CBP and Border Patrol are working together to establish a way to hire additional Law Enforcement Information Systems Specialists. DHS also stated that Border Patrol is offering training opportunities to Border Patrol processing coordinators to allow them to transition to become Law Enforcement Information Systems Specialists. Lastly, DHS said that Border Patrol plans to analyze the feasibility of offering retention incentives to reduce attrition in this position. DHS provided an estimated completion date of April 30, 2026, for these actions. We will continue to monitor Border Patrol's actions in response to this recommendation.
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