Correspondence
Thompson and Correa Call on TSA to Make Masks Mandatory
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA), Chairman of the Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee, sent a letter to the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) again calling on him to issue a requirement for airline passengers to wear masks in order to go through airport security checkpoints. The Members previously wrote TSA on this issue in May. Currently, only … Continue Reading
July 06, 2020
Chairman Thompson Demands Documents from DHS on Statue Protection ‘Task Force’
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf requesting documents on the Department of Homeland Security's new "Protecting American Communities Task Force" created to coordinate law enforcement activity to protect "monuments, memorials, statues, and federal facilities." In the letter, Chairman Thompson writes that although DHS has provided a briefing on the Task Force to … Continue Reading
July 02, 2020
Thompson Demands U.S. Coast Guard Ban Confederate Flag
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Admiral Karl Schultz, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, demanding the Coast Guard prohibit public displays of the Confederate Battle Flag at all Coast Guard installations, cutters, boats, aircraft, and government-owned housing. The U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps have already decided to prohibit displays of the flag from all of their military facilities Chairman Thompson … Continue Reading
June 26, 2020
Chairman Thompson Demands FBI Director Provide Documents and Agree to Testify
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray regarding multiple requests for briefings and documents that have yet to be fulfilled by the FBI. The Committee has tried to resolve these issues to no avail, with the FBI failing to even schedule a requested telephone call between Chairman Thompson and Director Wray to discuss the long overdue requests. To date, the FBI has failed to: Provide … Continue Reading
June 22, 2020
Thompson Demands Documents Regarding Nigel Farage Travel to the United States to Attend Trump Rally
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Chad Wolf, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), regarding the decision by the Trump Administration to permit Mr. Nigel Farage to travel to the United States from the United Kingdom, enabling him to attend the Trump campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Currently, travel to the United States is not allowed from the United Kingdom due to the coronavirus pandemic. In the … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Chairman Thompson Writes DHS on Temperature Check Plan
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf expressing concerns regarding reports that DHS is preparing to task the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) with checking temperatures of departing passengers at U.S. airports to identify individuals who may have COVID-19. "I understand that some airlines and airports are lobbying the Trump Administration to conduct … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Chairman Thompson Leads Letter Urging Zuckerberg to Curb Dangerous Rhetoric Espoused by President Trump on Facebook
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Democrats on the Committee sent a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg urging him to follow the lead of other social media companies and take action against President Trump's use of Facebook to push increasingly incendiary, violent, and abhorrent messages. Over the past few weeks, the President has taken to social media to peddle a baseless conspiracy theory accusing a former member of … Continue Reading
June 03, 2020
Nadler, Grijalva, Smith and Thompson Call for Answers on Trump Administration's Use of Force Against Peaceful DC Protestors
(WASHINGTON) - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA), and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) sent a letter today seeking answers on the Trump Administration's use of tear gas, pepper spray, smoke canisters, stun grenades, and rubber bullets to forcibly remove peaceful protesters gathered in Lafayette Square. The letter, sent to … Continue Reading
June 02, 2020
Chairman Thompson Demands Briefing on Secret Service Involvement in Gassing of Protesters Outside White House
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to the Secret Service Director to request an immediate briefing on the Secret Service's involvement in the tear-gassing of peaceful protesters outside the White House last night so the President can have a campaign style photo-op. "I write to you stunned, disturbed, and furious at the sight of federal authorities tear-gassing peaceful protesters in Lafayette Park, outside the … Continue Reading
June 01, 2020
Homeland Security Dems Write DHS & FBI on the Federal Government’s Response to Protests Around the Country
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Democratic Members of the Committee sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI regarding reports of extremist involvement in protests arounds the country - and how DHS and the FBI are responding while ensuring that Americans' civil rights and civil liberties are protected. In recent days, Federal officials, including the President, have suggested that far-left … Continue Reading
May 28, 2020
Chairman Thompson and Committee Democrats Write FEMA on its Ability to Respond to Multiple Disasters During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins June 1 (WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and the Democratic Members of the Committee, sent a letter to Peter Gaynor, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), raising concerns about the agency's ability to respond to multiple disasters simultaneously during the COVID-19 pandemic and asking for a briefing on their preparation efforts. The Atlantic Hurricane Season … Continue Reading
May 28, 2020
Chairman Thompson Demands DHS and HHS Provide Requested Documents on Federal Response to Coronavirus
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent letters to the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Health and Human Services demanding they provide the documents and information the Committee has requested regarding the Federal response to the coronavirus pandemic. In some cases, the requested documents have been outstanding for as long as two months. HHS has failed to provide a single page of documents in … Continue Reading
May 21, 2020
Chairman Thompson Writes Pompeo, Wolf Demanding They Halt Joint Saudi Security Programs After Pensacola Attacker’s Al Qaeda Ties Uncovered Revealing Vetting Concerns
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf and Secretary of State Michael Pompeo again urging they immediately halt two joint airport security and air marshal training and advisory programs with the Saudi Arabia after the Department of Justice announced this week that the gunman in December's terrorist attack in Pensacola, Florida, a Saudi national receiving aviation … Continue Reading
May 12, 2020
Engel, Thompson, Nadler & Menendez Reject Administration’s Legal Explanation for Halting Asylum Processing
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Chairmen Eliot L. Engel of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Bennie G. Thompson of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and Jerrold L. Nadler of the House Committee on the Judiciary and Ranking Member Bob Menendez of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations rejected the Trump Administration's legal justification for its decision to halt asylum processing during the COVID-19 pandemic. After seeking answers on this issue for nearly two months, the lawmakers … Continue Reading
May 09, 2020
Homeland Security, Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Leaders Urge DOT & DHS Establish an Aviation Working Group to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic
(WASHINGTON) - Leaders of the Homeland Security and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf to urge them to establish an interagency working group to develop robust, coordinated plans to address COVID-19 in aviation operations. The Members believe that establishing health, safety, and security standards are necessary to restore public confidence in travel. In the absence of coordinated … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
Schiff, Thompson, Murphy Urge House Leadership to Include Coronavirus Response Commission Provision in Upcoming Relief Legislation
An Independent, Bipartisan Commission Would Complement Congressional Oversight Efforts (WASHINGTON) - Today, Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee and Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), Co-Chair of the House Blue Dog Coalition, sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy requesting inclusion of language in upcoming relief legislation establishing an … Continue Reading
May 08, 2020
House Chairs Press Trump Administration to Rescind Policies that Delay Release of Migrant Children
May 8, 2020 (WASHINGTON) - Today, several House committee and subcommittee chairs sent a letter to the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Health & Human Services (HHS) regarding recent news reports alleging that the Trump Administration is considering implementing policies that could unnecessarily delay migrant children in HHS care from being reunified with their sponsors. The chairs again urge the Administration to rescind a Memorandum of Agreement requiring information about … Continue Reading
May 06, 2020
Thompson to DHS & HHS: Administration Must Level with Public on Projected Coronavirus Cases and Deaths
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf and Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar regarding the Federal government's coronavirus pandemic projections, and whether adequate preparations are being made by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to respond to these projected trends. To date, DHS and HHS … Continue Reading
April 30, 2020
Thompson Writes ICE Detention Center Contractors on Rising Coronavirus Cases at Their Facilities
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent letters to CoreCivic, Geo Group, LaSalle Corrections, Management & Training Corporation (MTC) - four corporations that manage detention facilities for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In the letters, Chairman Thompson requests more information on how the corporations are stopping the spread of coronavirus at their facilities. Recent news reports indicate that these … Continue Reading
April 29, 2020
Thompson, Rose Write DHS on Coronavirus Intelligence Reports
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Max Rose (D-NY), Chairman of the Intelligence and Counterterrorism Subcommittee, sent a letter to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf asking for information on any COVID-19-related intelligence that was consumed and disseminated by DHS in late 2019 and early 2020, and what, if any, operational changes were made in response to that intelligence. Recent press reporting has … Continue Reading