Homeland Security said Wednesday that it has clawed back $59 million in taxpayer money that was recently paid out to New York City to take care of illegal immigrants.

The department, in an unsigned statement, said the payments made by employees at the Federal Emergency Management Agency were “unauthorized” and went to “luxury hotels” to house the migrants.

“Secretary [Kristi] Noem has clawed back the full payment that FEMA deep state activists unilaterally gave to NYC migrant hotels,” the department said.

The repayment is a major victory for Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, which highlighted the payments earlier this week. Mr. Musk declared them unlawful.

Homeland Security has also fired four employees over the payments.

In the statement Wednesday, the department said the money paid to house illegal immigrants at the Roosevelt Hotel, which lists as a four-star accommodation in midtown Manhattan.

Homeland Security said the hotel has been a base of operations for Tren de Aragua, the notorious Venezuelan gang that infiltrated the U.S. over the last four years, by taking advantage of relaxed Biden border policies.

The hotel also at one point housed Jose Ibarra, the man who murdered Georgia student Laken Riley last year.

• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.