Press Releases
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Trump’s Unconstitutional Election Takeover 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 unconstitutional election takeover Executive Order: "Once again, the President is attempting to act beyond his powers and seize control of our elections. Now he is attempting to weaponize the United States Postal Service against the voters. We will not stand for it. “Election rights advocates and Secretaries of State challenged … Continue Reading
March 27, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Republicans Voting to Keep TSA Workers Unpaid
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on House Republicans voting to keep the Department of Homeland Security shut down: “House Republicans are at it again: extending the DHS shutdown for weeks longer, kicking the can down the road, and throwing temper tantrums at hardworking Americans’ expense all because they didn’t get what they wanted. It’s clear they don’t care about the DHS workforce - or … Continue Reading
March 26, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Trump Agreeing to Pay TSA Officers
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on President Trump finally agreeing to pay the TSA workforce: “TSA officers keeping our skies secure have worked admirably throughout the Trump shutdown, and they deserve to be paid already. Time and again, Democrats have attempted to advance clean funding bills for TSA - only to be blocked by Republicans on behalf of Trump. “Now, finally, Trump is … Continue Reading
March 21, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Trump Threatening to Send ICE to Airports
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on President Trump threatening to send ICE to airports across the country: “Masked, armed police at travel checkpoints is a hallmark of dystopian movies. Now Donald Trump is threatening to bring this tool of fascism to America. He is manufacturing chaos at airports for political leverage and trying to force Democrats to accept unaccountable secret police at … Continue Reading
March 13, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Reports Kristi Noem Bungled Tornado Response After Letting Contract Lapse
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on news reports that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem hindered tornado response by letting a contract lapse for a critical tornado tracking tool typically provided by FEMA and used by search-and-rescue teams: “Even as she’s about to leave the Department, Kristi Noem’s management of FEMA continues to be a disaster for the American people - and FEMA’s … Continue Reading
March 06, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Trump’s 3-Page Cyber Strategy
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on the Trump Administration releasing its Cyber Strategy for America: “The President's Cyber Strategy - barely 3 pages of substance - is impressively underachieving, even by the abysmal standards this Administration has set for itself. What little ‘substance’ does exist in this pamphlet is a mishmash of vague platitudes, a long catalogue of ‘we will’ … Continue Reading
March 05, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Trump Finally Firing Kristi Noem
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement after President Donald Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at last: “Kristi Noem’s tenure at the Department of Homeland Security will go down as one of the most lawless, corrupt, and reckless in modern history. Time and again, she ran afoul of the law - and court orders - and put her vanity ahead of the safety of the American people. Her … Continue Reading
March 02, 2026
Court Again Orders Trump-Vance Administration to Restore Congressional Oversight of ICE Detention Facilities
Washington, D.C. — A federal court today ordered the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to restore Members of Congress’s unannounced visits to conduct oversight of detention facilities. The ruling enforces federal law and reaffirms Congress’s authority to investigate detention conditions and ensure accountability, including during a lapse in appropriations. After the court stayed a DHS policy requiring Members of Congress to provide prior … Continue Reading
February 28, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson: Trump Attacking Iran Endangers Homeland Security
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on President Trump attacking Iran again: “Once again, President Trump has attacked Iran without Congressional approval or a clear strategy. As I’ve said before, we are more vulnerable to ensuing terrorism attacks today because of Trump’s reckless, inflammatory actions. I am deeply concerned about the administration’s attention to possible threats and its … Continue Reading
February 27, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Kristi Noem Endangering Nation’s Aviation Security
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on news reports that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem gravely endangered aviation security when she suddenly changed airport security checkpoint screen procedures and then disregarded a DHS Officer of Inspector General report informing her of the security risks: “It should enrage all Americans that Kristi Noem continues to do so much damage to our … Continue Reading
February 26, 2026
Ranking Members Larsen, Thompson and Carson Statement After DOD Reportedly Shot Down CBP Drone
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Rick Larsen (D-WA), and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Aviation André Carson (D-IN) released the following statement following reports that the Department of Defense shot down a U.S. Customs and Border Protection drone: "Our heads are exploding over the news that DoD reportedly shot down a Customs … Continue Reading
February 21, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Trump and Kristi Noem Shutting Down TSA PreCheck and Global Entry to Punish the American People
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on news the Trump administration is idiotically shutting down the TSA Precheck and Global Entry programs tomorrow to punish the American people: "These nitwits are at it again. This is Trump and Kristi Noem purposely punishing the American people and using them as pawns for their sadistic political games. TSA PreCheck and Global Entry REDUCE airport lines … Continue Reading
January 27, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on CISA Acting Director Uploading Sensitive FOUO Documents into ChatGPT
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on news reports that Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Acting Director Madhu Gottumukkala uploaded sensitive and nonpublic documents into the ChatGPT AI app: “News reports that CISA Acting Director Gottumukkala uploaded FOUO information to ChatGPT follow reports that he failed a counterintelligence polygraph. At best, he's in over his … Continue Reading
January 26, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Agent Who Killed Alex Pretti Still on Duty in the Field
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, on news that the Border Patrol agent who killed Alex Pretti is still in the field, contrary to current CBP policy: “It defies commonsense - and is completely inexcusable - that the agent who killed Alex Pretti Saturday is already back in the field terrorizing our communities and believing - as Greg Bovino has so wrongly asserted - that he is the victim. Clearly, no investigation took … Continue Reading
January 24, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Yet Another U.S. Citizen Killed by ICE & CBP in Minneapolis
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on yet another U.S. citizen killed in cold blood by ICE and CBP in Minneapolis: "Yet another U.S. citizen has been killed in cold blood by ICE and CBP in Minneapolis for exercising his First Amendment rights. This is sick and should shock all Americans. It is also more of the purposeful chaos and violence that Trump and Kristi Noem welcome and are … Continue Reading
January 23, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Endorses Impeachment of Kristi Noem
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, announced he is endorsing the effort to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem (H.Res. 996): “Since taking office one year ago, Kristi Noem has established a corrupt culture at the Department of Homeland Security - conducting herself as though she is above the law and directing the DHS workforce to act similarly. Never has this been clearer than after the tragic killing of … Continue Reading
January 22, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Homeland Security Funding Bill
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on H.R. 7147 - Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026: “For the past year, Donald Trump has weaponized DHS against the American people and is wreaking havoc in Minneapolis and other communities across this country. While DHS has strayed from its core mission, Renee Good has been killed by an ICE officer, deaths of those in ICE and CBP … Continue Reading
January 15, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Homicide at ICE Detention Camp in El Paso
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement of a reported homicide at an ICE detention facility - Camp East Montana - in El Paso, Texas on January 3rd. “The Federal government is responsible for the safety of those in their custody. Reports that Geraldo Lunas Campos was choked to death at an ICE facility should horrify all Americans. “After this tragedy and the senseless killing of Renee Good by an … Continue Reading
January 07, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Trump Administration’s Continued Plans to Decimate FEMA Workforce
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, denounced the Trump administration on news reports it’s planning to further decimate the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s workforce. “The American people should be alarmed that, over the past year, Donald Trump and Kristi Noem have left FEMA completely rudderless with no permanent leadership and 2,000 of its full-time employees have left or been pushed out because of this … Continue Reading
January 07, 2026
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on ICE Killing a Mother and U.S. Citizen
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on Trump’s ICE killing a mother and U.S. citizen in Minneapolis today: “A masked ICE agent killing a mother and U.S. citizen today in Minneapolis today shows that no one is safe under the Trump Administration — not even Americans. Without Trump’s lawless and out-of-control invasion of our communities, she would still be alive. “Now is the time for a … Continue Reading