Press Releases
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
June 05, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Kristi Noem Continuing to Play Politics with National Security as She Ends Quiet Skies Program
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ending the Transportation Security Administration’s “Quiet Skies” security program and continuing to lie about the program’s use: “Kristi Noem is lying when she pretends that the Quiet Skies security program was previously politicized. If she is searching for an example of the political weaponization of her … Continue Reading
May 22, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Republicans Jamming Their GOP Tax Scam Through the House
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on House Republicans maliciously jamming through their “One Big Ugly Bill” in the dead of night: “This horrific bill is one of the most shameful grifts I have ever seen played on the American public. It recklessly throws an enormous - and unnecessary - amount of taxpayer money at the border to buy the votes of Republicans so each one of them can get on board … Continue Reading
May 22, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Antisemitic Attack at the Capital Jewish Museum
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on the tragic antisemitic attack at the Capital Jewish Museum last night: “Today our thoughts are with the families of the victims of this terrible tragedy. The full force of the FBI must quickly and thoroughly investigate this senseless attack. I pray the FBI still has the manpower, expertise, and resources to do so. We must stand together to root out … Continue Reading
May 19, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on the Trump Administration Baselessly Targeting Congresswoman McIver
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on Donald Trump and his minions baselessly charging Congresswoman LaMonica McIver (D-NJ): “The Trump administration charging Congresswoman McIver for conducting her lawful oversight duties is purely political and is the true weaponization of government by a Felon President and his cabal of minions always at the ready to do his bidding. “This is just another … Continue Reading
May 10, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Incident at New Jersey ICE Facility
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on the incident at the Delaney Hall U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in New Jersey yesterday where members of Congress were attacked by ICE agents while attempting to conduct lawful oversight of the facility: “I 100 percent stand by my colleagues fulfilling their duties to conduct oversight. The law is clear - ICE must let them in when … Continue Reading
May 08, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on the Firing of the Acting FEMA Administrator
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on news that Cameron Hamilton, the Senior Official Performing the Duties of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator, was fired after he told Congress yesterday: “I do not believe it is in the best interests of the American people to eliminate [FEMA]": “It’s telling that Mr. Hamilton was fired when he told the truth and refused to toe the … Continue Reading
May 02, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on the President’s Preliminary Budget Request for DHS
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the President’s preliminary budget request for the Department of Homeland Security: “The President’s preliminary budget request would inflict enormous harm on the country and our homeland security. Not only does it call for extreme cuts that would decimate FEMA, CISA, and TSA, but when the administration tries to justify these cuts it has to resort to … Continue Reading
April 29, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson: Silent Republicans Unable to Defend Their Reconciliation Bill or Trump’s Unconstitutional Policies
(WASHINGTON) - Today, in the Committee on Homeland Security reconciliation markup to jam through President Trump’s agenda to give tax cuts to billionaires and gut Medicaid, Republicans not only voted down commonsense amendments to reign in the Trump administration’s reckless and unconstitutional homeland security actions, they could not utter a single argument against Democratic amendments - nor offer a defense of their $69 billion bill. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the … Continue Reading
April 29, 2025
Ranking Members Raskin, Thompson, and Connolly Demand Trump Administration Provide the Contract They Crafted With El Salvador to House Hundreds of Migrants in Brutal Mega-Prison
(Washington, D.C.) — Today, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Gerrald E. Connolly, Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Trump Administration officials demanding to see the agreement they crafted with El Salvador to hold more than 200 individuals from the United States in the notorious Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo … Continue Reading
April 23, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Trump Decimating FEMA’s Workforce and Playing Politics with Disaster Assistance with Hurricane Season Coming Soon
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on President Trump continuing to play politics with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), deny disaster assistance to states in need, and decimate FEMA’s workforce - all while hurricane season starts in less than six weeks: “With hurricane season starting in less than six weeks, news reports indicate that Trump has politicized FEMA to such a … Continue Reading
April 11, 2025
200+ House Democrats File Amicus Brief Against Unconstitutional Trump Birthright Citizenship Executive Order
(WASHINGTON) — Today, House Democrats continued their efforts to push back against President Donald Trump’s unlawful executive directives by filing an amicus brief in defense of the essential constitutional principle of birthright citizenship in the matter of State of Washington, et al. v. Trump, et al. The brief was signed by 208 members of the Democratic Caucus, including leads and Litigation Task Force Co-Chairs Assistant Leader Joe Neguse and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, along with House … Continue Reading
April 04, 2025
Ranking Members Thompson & Kennedy Statement on Trump Administration Ending the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Grant Program
(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 the Trump Administration ending FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program - that the Trump Administration started in 2018 - and taking away billions in grants from communities: “Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Kristi Noem … Continue Reading
March 28, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Trump’s Union Busting Executive Order
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on President Trump’s latest executive order attacking the Federal workforce and attempting to end collective bargaining rights at dozens of agencies: “President Trump’s latest union busting executive order straight from Project 2025 continues his nonstop assault on the Federal workforce. This order claims to be putting national security first, but we all … Continue Reading
March 28, 2025
Ranking Members Larsen, DeLauro, Thompson, Waters and Lofgren Issue Joint Statement on Reported Plans to Dismantle FEMA
(WASHINGTON) - Today, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA), House Committee on Appropriations Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), House Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), House Committee on Financial Services Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) and House Committee on Science, Space and Technology Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) released the following statement on new reports indicating that the Trump … Continue Reading
March 25, 2025
Thompson, Swalwell: Trump Voting Executive Order Will Result in Chaos, Must be Stopped
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Protection subcommittee, released the below statement on President Trump’s latest executive order that will do nothing for election security: “Just like DOGE isn’t about efficiency, this Executive Order isn’t about election integrity. It’s about disenfranchising voters. Trump is putting window … Continue Reading
March 25, 2025
Ranking Members Thompson & Kennedy: Trump Administration Continuing to Call for Elimination of FEMA and Play Politics with its Workforce Will Cost Lives
(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 the Trump Administration’s continued efforts to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency and hamper its workforce: “With nearly two months until the start of hurricane season, it is completely irresponsible and reckless for the Trump … Continue Reading
March 24, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson: Trump Administration Leak of Top Secret National Security Plans Shows Recklessness and Incompetence
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on the Trump Administration’s leak of top secret national security and intelligence matters on an unclassified phone application: “It should go without saying that Trump administration officials must not use Signal for discussing sensitive intelligence matters reserved for the situation room - and doing so including members of the public is gross … Continue Reading
March 21, 2025
Ranking Members Thompson & Magaziner Statement on Trump Administration Scaling Back Domestic Terrorism Focus
(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 news reports that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has terminated 30 percent of the personnel leading the Federal government’s terrorism prevention work and that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is scaling back staffing and … Continue Reading
March 21, 2025
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Trump Mass Firing at DHS Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Office
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on President Trump mass firing almost the entire workforce of the Department of Homeland Security’s Civil Rights and Civil Liberties office: “With Trump's mass firing of the entire DHS Civil Rights and Civil Liberties workforce, he is ensuring in advance that there will be no transparency or oversight of his extreme agenda. Congress created CRCL in the … Continue Reading