Companies with Florida ties will be supporting undocumented illegal immigrant children who are soon to be housed in Greensboro, N.C. Two companies run by the same individual secured two government contracts totaling nearly $500 million to provide services to the migrant children at the campus of former Jewish boarding school, The American Hebrew Academy (AHA).
Deployed Resources, LLC which is headquartered in New York, is also a registered business in Florida, with a location in the Tampa Bay Area. Richard Stapleton is the C.E.O., and the company received an award from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) potentially totaling $177 million.
According to the contract, “The purpose of this BPA is to secure facility management services (FMS) at an emergency influx shelter site. FMS is defined as interior and exterior services to support ongoing facilities management operations and maintenance of the emergency shelter.”
As previously reported, HHS also awarded the American Hebrew Academy nearly $50 million to lease its property in Greensboro. According to AHA’s website, AHA was tasked with maintaining the property and grounds.
It is unclear why HHS awarded Deployed Resources funds to manage and maintain the property, despite those tasks being delegated to AHA.
The second award is from the Department of the Interior. It was administered to Deployed Services, LLC - a Florida-based company with its headquarters in Tampa. The contract reflects the company's Tampa address (6820 W. Linebaugh Ave., Suite 105, Tampa, FL 33635) and totals a potential $322,629,096.82.
Records reflect these funds will be used for “Greensboro direct care and supervision services.” It appears this contract is for services like education, healthcare, and recreational activities.
Confusingly, according to AHA’s website, AHA was to provide these services as well.
GGA’s website reflects that it is actually controlled and operated by Deployed Resources – not AHA. Deployed Resources typically provides emergency management and logistic support services. It sets up temporary, prefabricated support centers and provides laundry and food services in emergencies or transient facilities like migrant influx centers. There is no evidence on its website that it has ever offered educational services to children.
Politicians React
In response to widespread outcry from the Greensboro community, Sen. Thom Tillis (R) penned a letter also signed by Sen. Richard Burr (R), Rep. Tedd Budd (R), Rep. Patrick McHenry (R), Rep. David Rouzer (R), Rep. Richard Hudson (R), Rep. Dan Bishop (R), Rep. Virginia Foxx (R), and Rep. Gregory Murphy (R).
Citing The Floridian’s article and exposure of the financial ties between the American Hebrew Academy and a Chinese company, Puxin Limited, the North Carolina leaders questioned HHS on their decision to use AHA’s property to house undocumented migrant children. They voiced their concerns about the administration’s failures at the Southern Border. Since The Floridian’s article, Puxin has made its investor website, which contained financial information regarding its dealings with AHA, password-protected and private.
The Floridian reached out to Sen. Tillis’ office and was advised that HHS has not responded to his letter.
Shortly after Tillis’ letter, Rep. Kathy Manning (D), whose district encompasses Greensboro, sent her own letter requesting HHS increase its transparency and allow her constituents to communicate directly with the Department.
Many in the community question if Manning participated in coordination efforts with HHS to make a deal with AHA happen. From 2009 to 2012, Manning was the first woman to chair the Jewish Federations of North America. The Greensboro Jewish Federation gave generous donations to the school in years past. Many AHA employees were actively involved with the Federation before, during, or after their employment with the school. AHA administrators worked closely with leaders in the Jewish community, and Manning was undoubtedly a leader during her tenure with the Federation.
Manning’s office did not respond to our requests for comment on whether she had any involvement in coordinating with HHS regarding their lease of AHA’s property.
In response to Manning’s letter, Greensboro Global School has finally updated its website. It now provides basic information on the curriculum that will be taught and advises that all employment positions have been filled.
Facilitating Illegal Immigration?
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been a vocal opponent of “sanctuary cities” and has even stated that he would hold private Florida companies that facilitate illegal immigration accountable. Whether Deployed Resources fits into this category is unknown. However, Deployed Resources/Deployed Services CEO Richard Stapleton certainly benefits from the migrant crisis. According to public records, he resides in Naples and owns two properties: a condominium worth approximately $8 million and a lavish 5-bedroom estate purchased in March of 2022 for $14,995,000.
Deployed Resources and Deployed Services have secured nearly $1 billion in government contracts, and 94% of those funds are for services Stapleton provides in Texas and Arizona on the U.S. Southern Border.
