Press Releases
Ranking Members Thompson and McIver Slam Secretary Noem for Living Rent Free in Waterfront Military Home
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security, issued the following statement slamming Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem over troubling reports that she is living rent-free in the official residence of the Coast Guard Commandant. "If Secretary Noem is living rent-free in military housing, she should be ashamed. Reports … Continue Reading
August 12, 2025
Ranking Members Thompson, Kennedy & Thanedar Blast Trump Administration’s Decision to Cancel Federal Employee Union Contracts for FEMA and Other Agencies
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, Rep. Tim Kennedy (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Emergency Management and Technology Subcommittee, and Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Oversight, Investigations and Accountability Subcommittee, issued the following statement condemning the Trump Administration’s move to cancel union contracts for federal employees of FEMA and other agencies:"This decision shows that Trump … Continue Reading
August 11, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on the Trump Administration's Unjustified Federal Takeover of DC
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, issued the following statement on President Trump’s federal takeover of Washington, D.C.:“This unjustifiable power grab is nothing more than Donald Trump trying to crown himself king. Violent crime in D.C. hit a 30-year low earlier this year, according to the Department of Justice. If crime has risen since then, it’s happened under Trump’s watch. Instead of working with Mayor Muriel Bowser and … Continue Reading
August 08, 2025
Members of Congress Seek Court Order Allowing for Continued Oversight of ICE Detention Facilities
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Adriano Espaillat, Ranking Member Bennie Thompson, Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member Robert Garcia, and the plaintiffs in Neguse et al. v. ICE et al. asked that the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia enter an order requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its Secretary Kristi Noem, as well as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and its Acting … Continue Reading
August 08, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Dangerous FEMA Staff Reassignments During Peak Hurricane Season
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on reports that the Trump administration is diverting FEMA personnel to support ICE raids and unlawful deportations: “Right in the middle of hurricane season, the Department of Homeland Security is once again gutting FEMA’s core capacity—this time to advance Donald Trump’s unpopular and inhumane mass deportation agenda. DHS transferring over 100 FEMA … Continue Reading
July 31, 2025
Joint Statement from Ranking Members Thompson and Magaziner on the Confirmation of Joe Kent as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center
(WASHINGTON, DC) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the House Homeland Security Committee, and Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, issued the below statement following last night’s Senate confirmation of Joe Kent as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC): “The confirmation of Joe Kent to be the nation’s top counterterrorism official poses a great risk to the integrity of our nation’s … Continue Reading
July 30, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Joins Lawsuit Against Trump-Vance Administration for Blocking Lawful Oversight of Federal Immigration Detention Facilities
Washington, D.C. — Today, House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse led a dozen individual members of the U.S. House of Representatives in suing the Trump-Vance administration, challenging its unlawful obstruction of congressional oversight that the members have sought to conduct at federal immigration detention facilities, in which both Americans and noncitizens have been detained without due process. The administration has implemented a new, unlawful policy that blocks these Members of … Continue Reading
July 16, 2025
Republicans Reject Subpoena of Kristi Noem, Shielding Her from Answering for Her Multiple Failures
(WASHINGTON) - Today, during a performative Homeland Security Committee hearing put on by Republicans to attack religious organizations, charities, and non-governmental organizations - instead of conducting oversight of the Trump administration - Republicans rejected a motion to subpoena Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to answer for her many leadership and management failures. The motion was offered by Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee. “In the past six … Continue Reading
July 10, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Kristi Noem’s Incompetence Slowing FEMA’s Response to Texas Floods
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on news that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s incompetence slowed FEMA’s Response to the Texas floods over the weekend: “Secretary Noem slowing FEMA’s response to the Texas floods while Americans suffered and waited for help as she micromanaged the agency is truly shameful. It shows she is completely incompetent and does not have the proper skill or … Continue Reading
July 07, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on the Federal Response to the Texas Floods
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on Federal response to the floods in Texas and what the Trump administration must do: “Our thoughts continue to be with the people of Texas as they continue to respond to this weekend’s tragic floods and begin to rebuild. “As we begin investigating how this happened and what went wrong, this administration cannot pretend that disasters like this are … Continue Reading
July 03, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Condemns Passage of “One Big Ugly Bill” as a Dangerous Betrayal of the American People
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security released the following statement condemning House Republicans for passing their “One Big Ugly Bill”: “House Republicans just passed the most dangerous piece of legislation in modern American history. To appease President Trump, Republicans voted to rip healthcare from 17 million Americans, dole out tax cuts to billionaires, and give billions to Trump and Kristi Noem to fund … Continue Reading
June 27, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Threats to the Homeland After Receiving Iran Briefing
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on threats to the homeland after receiving a delayed classified briefing today from the administration on its attack on Iran: “I commend our military on their service to our Nation. It is inexcusable that it took six days for the Trump Administration to brief the House on the U.S. strikes on Iran. And it is inexcusable that we heard nothing at that … Continue Reading
June 23, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Threats to the Homeland After DHS Issues National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on the Department of Homeland Security issuing a National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin: “It is completely irresponsible for Kristi Noem and DHS to issue a terrorism alert to the nation without any context - as if current events are happening in a vacuum. To be clear, we are at an increased threat level today - and apparently for at least the next three … Continue Reading
June 18, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Kristi Noem’s New Policy to Block Oversight of ICE
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s new policy to block oversight of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities after weeks of denying oversight visits - contrary to Federal law: “Kristi Noem’s new policy to block congressional oversight of ICE facilities is not only unprecedented, it is an affront to the Constitution and Federal … Continue Reading
June 14, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Domestic Terrorism in Minnesota Today
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on on the deadly targeted shootings in Minnesota today: “I am horrified by the deadly shootings in Minnesota today - they are tragically just the latest examples of politically motivated violence and domestic terrorism in our country. My prayers and condolences are with the victims, their families, and the people of Minnesota today. “To be clear, violence … Continue Reading
June 12, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on DHS Law Enforcement Assaulting Senator Padilla
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on Federal law enforcement, under the direction of wannabe fascist dictator Donald Trump, violently accosted and handcuffed a Democratic U.S. Senator in Los Angeles today: “As the former Chairman of the January 6 Committee, I know a direct attack on democracy when I see it - and what happened to Senator Padilla today is clearly an attack on our democracy. He … Continue Reading
June 12, 2025
Ranking Members Thompson, Thanedar Condemn Republicans Targeting Religious Groups, Charities, and NGOs
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Ranking Member of the subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, & Accountability, released the below statement on Committee Republicans targeting of hundreds of charities and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) who assist migrants with basic needs: “House Republicans targeting charities, religious organizations, and other NGOs for assisting migrants … Continue Reading
June 11, 2025
Ranking Members Thompson, Kennedy Statement on Trump and Kristi Noem’s Plan to Eliminate FEMA This Year
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Tim Kennedy (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Emergency Management and Technology subcommittee, released the joint statement below on President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s continued nonsense comments on FEMA and their ‘plan’ to eliminate it: “President Trump’s comments about eliminating FEMA after this hurricane season are a reckless betrayal of the American … Continue Reading
June 10, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Trump Illegally Sending Marines and More National Guard Troops to Los Angeles
(WASHINGTON) - (WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on President Trump sending Marines and more National Guard to Los Angeles: “Once again, Donald Trump and his ghoulish minions continue to purposely inflame a crisis of their own making. Despite the lies his administration is spreading with its wall-to-wall media tour, there is zero need to send the National Guard - or active-duty Marines - to … Continue Reading
June 06, 2025
Ranking Members Thompson & Magaziner Statement on Trump Admin Putting 22-Year-Old with Zero Experience in Charge of DHS Counterterrorism Office
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Ranking Member of the subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, released the following statement on President Trump putting a 22-year-old college graduate and MAGA campaign worker with zero experience in charge of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3): “There is no valid reason to … Continue Reading