Correspondence
Chairs Thompson & Barragán Urge DHS to Terminate Contract with Torrance County Detention Facility
(WASHINGTON) – Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation, & Operations, sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a management alert from the DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) regarding unsafe and unsanitary conditions at the Torrance County Detention … Continue Reading
February 10, 2022
Homeland Democrats Request Additional Funding to Protect Nonprofits Amid Increasing Threats, Including Houses of Worship and HBCUs
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Homeland Security Committee Democrats, led by Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), sent a letter to House Appropriators urging them to provide significant new funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) in the FY2022 Homeland Security Appropriations bill, given the current complex, diffused, and dynamic terrorism landscape which is heavily motivated by elements of white supremacy. Recently, there has been a spate of bomb threats to Historically … Continue Reading
January 24, 2022
House & Senate Committee Leaders Request GAO Audit of CBP ‘Critical Incident Teams’
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Chairs of the House and Senate Homeland Security Committees, House and Senate Judiciary Committees, and House Oversight Committee sent a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting it conduct a review of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) use of Critical Incident Teams along the southwest border. The letter – sent by 10 Committee and Subcommittee Chairs – was prompted by a complaint from a civil rights organization … Continue Reading
January 24, 2022
Oversight and Homeland Security Chairs Request Information from Customs and Border Protection on Potential Misconduct of Specialized Teams
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), requesting documents and information related to Critical Incident Teams—specialized units within CBP tasked with investigating and collecting evidence of allegations of excessive and deadly use of force by Border Patrol agents. “The Committees are concerned by … Continue Reading
December 22, 2021
Thompson, DeFazio, Watson Coleman, Larsen Write Airlines to Urge Them to Require and Pay for Crew Members to Attend TSA’s Self Defense Program
(WASHINGTON) - Committee on Homeland Security Chair Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Transportation & Maritime Security Subcommittee Chair Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), and Aviation Subcommittee Chair Rick Larsen (D-WA) sent letters to four major airlines urging them to require their crew members to attend TSA’s Crew Member Self Defense Program so that they are equipped with the necessary skills to deter and mitigate … Continue Reading
October 25, 2021
Chairs Thompson and Watson Coleman Write TSA to Urge Improved Enforcement of Mask Mandates
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Chairwoman of the Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee, sent a letter to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator David Pekoske seeking answers on how TSA plans to enforce enhanced civil penalties for travelers who do not comply with the Federal requirement to wear masks in transportation settings. Enforcement of these … Continue Reading
September 24, 2021
Chairman Thompson Writes DHS on Mistreatment of Haitian Migrants
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security regarding the continued mistreatment of Haitian migrants by the Department. In the letter, Chairman Thompson again urges the Secretary of Homeland Security to immediately halt repatriation flights to Haiti and to provide Haitians and other migrants an opportunity to apply for asylum. He also urges the Secretary to update use of force … Continue Reading
September 22, 2021
Chairs Thompson, Meeks Write DHS & State Department to Urge Stop to Repatriations of Haitian Migrants
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State expressing their concern regarding the ongoing repatriation of Haitian migrants and urge a humanitarian moratorium on these repatriations. “[T]housands of Haitians and other migrants have arrived in Del Rio, Texas over the past week and are now seeking shelter … Continue Reading
May 11, 2021
Homeland Security, Transportation & Infrastructure Leaders Write White House National Security Advisor Sullivan on Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Attack
(WASHINGTON) - Today, leaders of the Homeland Security Committee and the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee sent a letter to White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on the national security and economic security implications of the Colonial Pipeline Company ransomware attack, which could lead to rising fuel costs and fuel shortages. In the letter, the Members ask for a formal briefing as soon as possible from the interagency task force the White House established in … Continue Reading
March 25, 2021
House Committee Chairs Send Letters Seeking Documents About January 6 Attack on U.S. Capitol
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Committee and Subcommittee Chairs across the House of Representatives sent letters to the White House, federal agencies, law enforcement, and Legislative Branch entities, including the House and Senate Sergeant at Arms, seeking documents and communications relating to the January 6, 2021, domestic terrorist assault on the Capitol. “Our Committees are requesting information relating to the January 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, which killed five people and injured … Continue Reading
March 03, 2021
House Homeland Security, Intelligence & Judiciary Leaders Write President Biden on Delayed Domestic Terrorism Data Report
(WASHINGTON) - Today, leaders of the Committee on Homeland Security, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on the Judiciary sent a letter urging President Biden to prioritize the issuance of a long overdue intelligence assessment and report on the domestic terrorism threat. The assessment and report, which the Trump Administration failed to produce as required by law and was due to Congress over 8 months ago, is to include comprehensive data regarding the extent … Continue Reading
February 23, 2021
Wilson, Meeks, Jayapal, and Thompson Lead More Than 60 Members of Congress Calling for an End to Title 42 Expulsions
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Gregory W. Meeks (NY-5), Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-7), and Homeland Security Committee Chair Bennie G. Thompson (MS-2) sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas calling on him to end the practice of summarily expelling migrants under Title 42 of the Public Health Services Act as soon as practicable and to employ alternative forms of humanitarian relief for … Continue Reading
February 09, 2021
Chairs DeFazio and Thompson Urge FAA, TSA to Enforce Federal Mask Mandate for Airline Passengers to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
(WASHINGTON) - Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) are urging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to closely coordinate with all stakeholders to enforce President Joe Biden’s Federal mask mandate for airline passengers to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and ensure passenger and frontline aviation and … Continue Reading
February 03, 2021
Chairman Thompson Writes Newly Confirmed Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas, Invites Him to Testify
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to newly confirmed Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to congratulate him on his position and to invite him to testify before on the Committee on pressing issues facing the country. Letter excerpts: "Your tenure comes at a critical time for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which has been without confirmed leadership for nearly two years and has a … Continue Reading
February 03, 2021
Chairs Thompson and Demings Write White House COVID-19 Equity Task Force to Urge Equitable Vaccine Distribution
(WASHINGTON) - Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Emergency Preparedness, Response, & Recovery Subcommittee Chairwoman Val Demings (D-FL) sent a letter to the White House COVID-19 Equity Task Force regarding the lack of equitable distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines. Initial reporting indicates African American and Hispanic populations across the country are being vaccinated at a rate dramatically lower than the rest of the population. … Continue Reading
January 16, 2021
Committees Open Review of Insurrection at Capitol and Threats to Stop Peaceful Transition of Power
(WASHINGTON) - Today, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Homeland Security, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Oversight and Reform sent a letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis, the National Counterterrorism Center, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence requesting relevant documents and briefings as part of a review of the events and … Continue Reading
January 15, 2021
Members Urge President-Elect Biden to Take Action to Help Communities Dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic
(WASHINGTON) - Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), and Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), and Mike Thompson (D-CA) yesterday sent a letter to President-elect Joe Biden urging his incoming administration to waive all Federal cost-share requirements for assistance … Continue Reading
January 15, 2021
Chairman Thompson Writes DHS on its Endless Attempts to Unlawfully Alter its Order of Succession and Validate Trump Administration Policies
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security regarding its endless attempts to unlawfully alter its order of succession and ratify immoral Trump Administration policies. Letter text: I write to you to express my continued confoundment regarding the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) seemingly endless attempts to unlawfully amend the order of succession for the position of … Continue Reading
January 15, 2021
Chairman Thompson Urges DHS to Help Protect State Capitols from Potential Domestic Terrorist Attacks
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) urging it to do everything within its power to support Federal, State, and Local partners in securing State capitols and other targeted infrastructure against planned attacks, similar to the one carried out against the U.S. Capitol last week. This week, the FBI issued a bulletin warning that armed protests are being planned at all 50 … Continue Reading
January 11, 2021
Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Katko Request Briefing from TSA on Efforts to Disrupt Travel of Domestic Terrorist Groups in Run Up to Inauguration
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. John Katko (R-NY), Ranking Member of the Committee, sent a letter to the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration requesting a briefing this week in the wake of the domestic terrorist attack on the Capitol. The Chair and Ranking Member request to be briefed on TSA's efforts to disrupt the travel of domestic terrorist groups who may be planning further attacks and … Continue Reading