Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s demand to personally approve all departmental expenses over $100,000 triggered a spree of ICE and Border Patrol contracts just below that limit, as her agencies seemingly try to work around it.

Noem, 53, in June ordered that any Department of Homeland Security (DHS) obligation above $100,000 needs her personal sign-off. The directive created a backlog of “mission-critical” contracts, according to the New York Times.

Now a new analysis of federal data from the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) a government watchdog group, shows that, from August onward, 11 DHS contracts have been awarded between $99,999 and $99,999.99—five at Immigration and Customs Enforcement and one at Border Patrol.

The contracts flagged by POGO include twin $99,999 trai

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