Correspondence
Homeland Dems to DHS: Do Not Appoint Sheriff Clarke
(WASHINGTON) - Today, the Democratic members of the House Committee on Homeland Security, led by Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly strongly urging him to not consider Sheriff David Clarke for a position at the Department of Homeland Security. Sheriff Clarke’s troubling record as Milwaukee County Sheriff is well documented. His oversight of the Milwaukee County Jail has been scrutinized after multiple inmate deaths, including … Continue Reading
May 23, 2017
THOMPSON & RICHMOND TO TRUMP: Do Not Politicize Cyber Program to Shift Narrative on Classified Info
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA), Ranking Member of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee, sent a letter to President Trump demanding more information following a news story claiming that the White House is considering a ploy to distract from the President’s own careless handling of classified information by creating false narrative about the Department of … Continue Reading
May 16, 2017
Richmond, Payne Request Hearings on Ransomware Attacks on Healthcare Sector
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA), Ranking Member of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee, and Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr. (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communications Subcommittee, sent a letter to Committee on Homeland Security majority requesting hearings on the cybersecurity posture of our healthcare and lifeline sectors in the wake of the worldwide ransomware attacks last week. Rep. Richmond and Rep. Payne Jr. … Continue Reading
May 15, 2017
Thompson, Payne, Watson Coleman Inquire on Newark CBP Hazing & Sexual Assault Allegations
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ), and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) sent a letter to the Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding media reports revealing allegations of longtime sexual assault and crude hazing by CBP Officers at Newark Liberty International Airport. In the letter the Members write: “There is no place for this type of conduct at CBP … Continue Reading
April 03, 2017
Democrats Push Trump Administration to Protect the Education of Undocumented Children
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA), John Conyers (D-MI), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), the Ranking Members of the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security, respectively, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly asking them to remind public schools that they are still required to educate … Continue Reading
March 15, 2017
Thompson: Hearing, Legislation Needed to Protect Religious Institutions from Domestic Terrorism
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter today to committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) to request a comprehensive oversight hearing on the ongoing domestic terrorism threat to our nation’s religious institutions - including Jewish Community Centers - and to request a markup to pass the Securing American Non-Profit Organizations Against Terrorism Act (H.R. 1486). This bill, introduced by Ranking Member Thompson, … Continue Reading
March 08, 2017
Reps. Thompson, Vela, Payne: Reject Cruel and Misguided Plan to Separate Mothers & Children
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, Rep. Filemon Vela (D-TX), and Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly regarding his confirmation that DHS is considering separating children from their parents at the border. Trying to ‘discourage’ people fleeing violence and extreme poverty from seeking safety in the U.S. by threatening to take their children away from them … Continue Reading
March 07, 2017
House Democrats Formally Request that Homeland Security Secretary Kelly Brief Caucus on President Trump’s Executive Orders, Immigration Policies
(Washington) - House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley (D-NY), along with 141 House Democrats, today sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly formally requesting a briefing on President Trump’s executive orders on refugees, travel bans, and immigration for members of the caucus. The letter was led by Crowley, House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.), and Reps. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.), Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), … Continue Reading
February 24, 2017
Thompson: Intel Professionals Must Not Be Used as Political Pawns to Fulfill Misguided Campaign Promises
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly regarding media reports that President Trump demanded the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) build legal standing for his Muslim travel ban. Ranking Member Thompson released the following statement along with the letter: “I am concerned that this mandate from the White House, which some … Continue Reading
February 24, 2017
Thompson Inquires on Troubling Domestic Flight ID Check Incident at JFK
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to the acting leadership of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding their agencies’ February 22 search for an individual at JFK Airport which resulted in passengers being forced to show identification to federal law enforcement as they disembarked a domestic flight. It is troubling that CBP officers called to … Continue Reading
February 23, 2017
Homeland Security Democrats: DHS Must Explain Deportation Plans to American People
(WASHINGTON) - All House Committee on Homeland Security Democrats, led by Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly regarding his February 20 memoranda providing guidance for President Trump's immigration enforcement Executive Orders. Democratic members are asking for answers to provide oversight of the Administration’s misguided border security and immigration policies, provide the facts to the American public, and help avoid chaos … Continue Reading
February 15, 2017
Top Dems Request Info from WH Counsel on Flynn’s False Statements
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Reps. Elijah E. Cummings, John Conyers, Jr., Eliot L. Engel, Bennie G. Thompson, Adam Smith, and Adam Schiff, Ranking Members of the House Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Judiciary, Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security, Armed Services, and Intelligence, sent a letter to White House Counsel Donald F. McGahn, II raising grave concerns and requesting information about reports that Department of Justice officials warned him three weeks ago that Lt. General … Continue Reading
February 03, 2017
Thompson, Engel, Conyers Write AG to Demand Answers on Reported Trump Plan to Target Islam
(WASHINGTON) - Today, House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY), House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) sent a letter to Acting Attorney General Dana Boente to demand answers on reports that President Trump intends to overhaul the government Countering Violent Extremism program in a manner that would target and single out Muslim Americans. “Such a move is … Continue Reading
February 01, 2017
Top Dems Call on Pentagon to Investigate Flynn’s Payment for Dining with Putin
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Reps. Elijah E. Cummings, Adam Smith, John Conyers, Jr., Bennie G. Thompson, Adam Schiff, and Eliot L. Engel, the Ranking Members of the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Armed Services, Judiciary, Homeland Security, Intelligence, and Foreign Affairs, sent a letter requesting that the Department of Defense review a potentially serious violation of the Emoluments Clause by retired Lt. General Michael Flynn, who now serves as President Donald Trump’s National … Continue Reading
January 10, 2017
Dem Ranking Members: Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board Must be Functional
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson, Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Elijah Cummings, and Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Adam Schiff sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump asking him to make swift appointments to the bipartisan, independent Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB). The PCLOB has a dual-mission of reviewing the counter-terrorism … Continue Reading
December 06, 2016
Hoyer, National Security Ranking Members Send Letter to President Obama Urging Briefings on Russian Interference in U.S. Election
(WASHINGTON) - Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Eliot Engel, Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson, Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Elijah Cummings, Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith, and Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Adam Schiff sent a letter today to President Obama asking for Administration officials to brief all Members of Congress … Continue Reading
November 15, 2016
Top House Dems Urge Appropriators Fund Secret Service Overtime Pay for 2016 & 2020 Elections
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Reps. Elijah E. Cummings and Bennie G. Thompson, Ranking Members of the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform and Homeland Security, sent a letter to the House Committee on Appropriations urging appropriators to include funding for Fiscal Year 2017 that would ensure that Secret Service agents are eligible to be paid for the overtime they earn in each of the 2016 and 2020 presidential election years. Press accounts report that at least 1,000 Secret Service … Continue Reading
October 26, 2016
Cyberattack Shows DHS Must Linkup With Critical Infrastructure Companies
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson inquiring about the recent distributed denial of service (DDoS) cyber attacks against the network services of Dyn, Inc. The October 21 attacks affected many popular websites and access to these sites was temporarily hindered. In the letter, Ranking Member Thompson stresses the importance of having robust information sharing and outreach … Continue Reading
October 21, 2016
Dangerous Political Rhetoric Could Incite Violence
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson regarding inciteful rhetoric on the campaign trail, the growth in antigovernment militia groups, and possibility of violence. In the letter, Congressman Thompson states: "Members of militia groups and 'sovereign citizens' report feeling a sense of legitimization from political rhetoric of Republican Presidential nominee Donald J. … Continue Reading
August 30, 2016
Top House Dems Seek FBI Investigation of Possible Trump Connections to Cyber Attacks
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Reps. Elijah E. Cummings, John Conyers, Jr., Elliot L. Engel, and Bennie G. Thompson, the Ranking Members of the House Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, Judiciary, Foreign Affairs, and Homeland Security, sent a detailed letter to FBI Director James Comey requesting that the FBI assess whether connections between Trump campaign officials and Russian interests may have contributed to cyber attacks against the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic … Continue Reading