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 briefing today about threats to the homeland as a result ofthe strikes.

“DHS, ODNI, and FBI were noticeably absent from today’s briefing. After President Trump’s attack on Iran without congressional approval, DHS issued a terrorism alert to the nation, stating that we are under a heightened threat environment. Make no mistake, we are more vulnerable to attack today because of Trump’s inflammatory actions. Yet, not a single briefer could speak to the current threats to the homeland or how the Trump administration is working to protect Americans from any retaliatory attacks by Iran or its proxies.

“Recent reports state the FBI is ‘reassigning’ agents – who had been diverted from their mission to carry out the President's immigration agenda – back to counterterrorism work due to threats from Iran. It begs the question: since the FBI was forced to take their eye off the ball and given that DHS has deprioritized its counterterrorism mission in favor of immigration enforcement, who has been tracking terrorism threats and working to protect Americans from attacks? And how much more vulnerable are we in the wake of the President’s escalatory strikes on Iran and prioritization of missions other than combating terrorism?”