How does the Department of Homeland Security spend their Immigration and Customs Enforcement money? Well up here in Buffalo, New York they spent $1,500 on trinkets like yo-yo's emblazoned with "Help secure our homeland" and a phone number on it.

Nationwide they spent $4.5 million on these items rather than on hiring more personnel, border protection, drug seizures, human trafficking and tracking down child predators. WGRZ (video here) detailed some of the items besides yo-yo's that ICE is putting out.

... a piggy bank, a stuffed monkey, a mirror, a sunglasses holder, a Frisbee, a teddy bear, a stress relieving toy, a stress ball, a letter opener, a cd-dvd case, a travel mug, highlighter, notebook, travel bag, lunch pail, calculator, a wallet, toy plane, crayons, a water bottle, an orange water bottle, change purse, keychain, a flip-up mirror, a pad of paper, a light-up yo-yo, a bottle opener, a clip with two highlighters on it, a lanyard, an ice scraper, a mechanical pencil, another change purse, another key chain, a presidential ruler and a bottle of chap stick

This money comes from seized property that is auctioned off.

Even Senator Chuck Schumer of New York thought it was ridiculous

"Give me a break," said Schumer. "You can find a lot better ways than yo-yo's for people to report information."

As the reporter and his crew were leaving from an interview with a Buffalo ICE agent they were given decorative coins with the ICE and DHS logos on them.

I personally would have put the coins in a frame with a background and border stating "The most ineffective and wasteful agencies in the US Government" and mailed it off to the President, but that's just me.

Tipped by: Debbie Schlussel