ICE Awarded $87 No-Bid Contract to Business With Biden Ties
A family of Central American migrants seen in front of the entrance to the El Chaparral border crossing, while awaiting the US authorities to allow them to enter to begin their process of asylum into the country, on March 26, 2021 in Tijuana, Mexico. Following the change in immigration policy, the United States government once again allows asylum seekers to cross the border on March 26, 2021 in Tijuana, Mexico. Francisco Vega/Getty Images

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement signed last month an $87 million contract for the housing of migrant families in Arizona and Texas.

It was considered a no-bid contract after the Biden administration did not solicit bids for the said housing contract, and awarded it to one organization whose leadership has Biden ties.

This includes one official from the Biden transition team, according to a Washington Examiner report.

The contract was given to the nonprofit organization named Family Endeavors, which is based in San Antonio, Texas. The said organization has no history of being an ICE contractor.

Family Endeavors has a senior official on the Biden transition team in its leadership, former ICE official Andrew Lorenzen-Strait.

Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia identified Lorenzen-Strait as a potential broker in the deal.

In an outline by Federal Acquisition Regulation, government contracts should be awarded through an open competitive process. ICE never opened the contract to outside companies and organizations.

One person who is familiar with the matter said that the bid was not advertised for competition.

"Unless certain exceptions apply, an agency must compete for the contract," said Carol Thompson was quoted in a report.

Thompson is a partner with the Federal Practice Group law firm based in Washington.

Clyde said in a letter that he finds it hard to believe that there were no other vendors vying for the contract despite the situation at the border.

ICE did not address questions related to Lorenzen-Strait but noted that the hotels are intended to be short-term to house migrant families.

Migrant Families Housing

Some migrant families arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border will be housed in hotels under a new program that will be managed by nonprofit organizations, according to The Guardian report.

Sources said Family Endeavors will oversee "family reception site" at hotels in Texas and Arizona. In addition, they are set to provide up to 1,400 beds in seven different brand-name hotels for migrant families that are deemed vulnerable.

Phase two of the housing will start on Apr. 30, with 600 beds being made available in Pecos, Texas; Phoenix, Arizona; and Cotulla, Texas.

The Holiday Inn will accept more than 200 people starting on Friday, while WoodSpring Suites will be opening its rooms for families with 107 beds made available.

WoodSpring Suites will reportedly have in-room kitchens and living rooms rather than just bedrooms, according to another Washington Examiner report.

The Hilton brand's Hampton Inn would house around 338 people combined, while Phoenix's Sure Stay Best Western motel rooms will open its rooms for 142 people.

Best Western in El Paso will start accepting families on Friday and making at least 186 beds available for families. Comfort Inn will also be making 158 beds available for migrant families.

The Department of Homeland Security has started conducting COVID-19 rapid tests on families in other parts of Texas. However, it has not discussed whether families placed on the said hotels will be tested before or during their stay.

WATCH: President Biden Tells Migrants: 'Don't Come' To Border - from TODAY