Correspondence
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
January 07, 2021
Five House Committees Seek Urgent Briefing on FBI’s Plans to Bring to Justice Those Involved in Incitement and Assault on U.S. Capitol
(WASHINGTON) - Today, five Committees of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray seeking an immediate briefing on the FBI's efforts to investigate the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol. "We write to request an immediate and urgent briefing on the steps the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is taking to investigate and pursue for prosecution the instigation, planning, and execution of the deadly terrorist attack on … Continue Reading
December 23, 2020
Thompson, Nadler, Rice, Lofgren, Jayapal Lead Letter Urging President-elect Biden to Help Separated Children on Day One
(WASHINGTON) - Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Border Security, Facilitation, and Operations Subcommittee Chairwoman Kathleen Rice (D-NY), Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee Chair Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee Vice Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) led a letter with 83 Members of the House to President-elect Joe Biden urging him to assist the children harmed by the … Continue Reading
December 18, 2020
As COVID-19 Cases Rise at DHS, Chairman Thompson Inquires on its Frontline Workforce’s Access to Testing and Vaccines
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Mr. Chad Wolf of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding the concerning rise in the number of DHS employees infected with COVID-19. In the letter, he urged the Department to provide its employees with access to testing and expressed concern about whether the Department has adequately prepared to provide employees with access to COVID-19 vaccines now that they are … Continue Reading
December 17, 2020
Homeland Security and Oversight Committees Launch Investigation into Cyber Attack on Federal Government Systems
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security; Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform; Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Innovation, and Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, sent a letter to Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, Federal Bureau of Investigation … Continue Reading
December 04, 2020
Chairman Thompson Writes CBP on its Stonewalling of Investigation into Agent’s Death
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding its continued stonewalling of the Committee's ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of a Border Patrol agent in June. The Committee's investigation now also includes allegations of retaliation by a member of CBP Air and Marine Operations (AMO) leadership and the possible idling of an AMO unit, … Continue Reading
November 23, 2020
Chairman Thompson Writes GSA Head Emily Murphy on the National Security Implications of Her Failure to Begin the Required Transition Process
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Emily Murphy, Administrator of the Government Services Administration (GSA), regarding the national security implications of her continuing failure to recognize the results of the 2020 Presidential election and ascertain Joe Biden as the President-elect of the United States. "With each passing day, GSA's failure to ascertain the election is preventing President-elect Biden's … Continue Reading
November 13, 2020
Former DHS Secretaries and Homeland Security Chairs Agree: It’s Time to Consolidate Congressional Homeland Security Jurisdiction
(WASHINGTON) - House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) was joined by two former Chairmen of the Committee, Reps. Peter T. King (R-NY) and Michael T. McCaul (R-TX), in sending a bipartisan letter to House leadership to urge them to support the expansion of the Committee's black letter jurisdiction to ensure it has the jurisdiction necessary to fully authorize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The 9/11 Commission's recommendation to create a "single, … Continue Reading
November 12, 2020
Oversight and Homeland Security Committees Demand ICE Cease Deportations of Victims and Witnesses Alleging Medical Mistreatment at Detention Facilities
(WASHINGTON) - Today, senior Members of the Oversight and Reform and Homeland Security Committees sent a letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) demanding compliance with its policy against deporting witnesses and victims in ongoing investigations as the Committees are investigating allegations of medical mistreatment at Irwin County Detention Center (ICDC). Today's letter was signed by Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairwoman Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney; Committee on Homeland … Continue Reading
November 10, 2020
Chairman Thompson Demands DHS Ensure Records are Preserved
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to the Honorable Chad Wolf of the Department of Homeland Security to make clear the Committee's expectation that - given the Department's history of withholding documents from the Committee, defying lawful subpoenas, and improperly stymying Congressional oversight and investigations - DHS must preserve, in accordance with the Federal Records Act and all applicable Federal laws, all … Continue Reading
November 04, 2020
Chairman Thompson Seeks Information Regarding Death of Border Patrol Agent in New Mexico
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding the circumstances of the death of Border Patrol Agent Johan Mordan in New Mexico in June. Tragically, according to CBP, Border Patrol agents lost communications with Agent Mordan prior to his death and he was eventually found unresponsive lying on a trail, unable to be revived. The Committee is seeking specific information on Agent … Continue Reading
October 13, 2020
Thompson, Bass to ICE: Stop Deportation Flight to Cameroon Now
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, sent a letter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) demanding it stop its plans to deport over 200 Cameroonian asylum seekers. Recent allegations have been raised that some of these individuals were coerced into signing documents effectuating their removal. Questions about the validity of travel documents have … Continue Reading
October 10, 2020
Committees Demand that ICE Stop Stonewalling Detainee Medical Abuse Investigation
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Oversight and Reform Committee, Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Border Security, Facilitation, and Operations Subcommittee, and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Chairman of the Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee, sent a letter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) demanding that the agency stop stonewalling the Committees' … Continue Reading
October 07, 2020
Nadler, Thompson & Maloney Request DOJ, DHS IGs Investigate Deployment of Border Patrol Snipers at Funeral for George Floyd
(WASHINGTON) - In response to reports that FBI surveillance aircraft and U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC) personnel, including sniper teams, were deployed to Pearland, Texas to surveil the funeral service of George Floyd, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), and Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) sent a letter requesting that the … Continue Reading
October 02, 2020
Thompson, Underwood, Rose Demand DHS Talking Points Defending Kyle Rittenhouse
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Vice Chairwoman Lauren Underwood (D-IL), and Intelligence and Counterterrorism Subcommittee Chairman Max Rose (D-NY) sent a letter to the Honorable Chad Wolf of the Department of Homeland Security demanding documents related to disturbing media reports alleging that DHS officials were directed to make public comments sympathetic to Kyle Rittenhouse, who has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, … Continue Reading