Press Releases
Thompson Statement on HHS Inspector General Family Separation Report
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report on the Administration's implementation of its family separation policy. The report found that interagency communication failures and poor internal management decisions left HHS unprepared for the zero-tolerance policy. This lack of preparation impeded HHS's ability … Continue Reading
February 28, 2020
Chairman Thompson Statement on Trump Administration’s Failure to Produce Election Security Report
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement after the Trump Administration failed to provide an election security report to Congress as mandated by law: "The Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act required the Administration to report to Congress any cyber-attacks and intrusions from agents or associates of the governments of Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. The Trump Administration … Continue Reading
February 26, 2020
Chairman Thompson Statement on President Trump’s Coronavirus Press Conference
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on President Trump's coronavirus press conference: "Instead of using this press conference as an opportunity to lead and inform the American people at a critical time, the President attacked his political opponents and sounded ignorant and even incoherent about the nature of the threat we face. To be clear, the President's management of the Federal … Continue Reading
February 20, 2020
Chairman Thompson Reacts to Revelation that Acting DNI Removed for Informing Congress of Russian Meddling in 2020 Election
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement in response to revelations that the Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire has been removed after he presented Congress with evidence of Russian meddling in the 2020 U.S. Presidential election in support of President Trump: "The President has been in denial about foreign election interference for three years because his ego cannot accept that … Continue Reading
February 20, 2020
Chairman Thompson Statement on Trump’s Selection of Richard Grenell as Acting Director of National Intelligence
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on President Trump's selection of Richard Grenell as Acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI): "The position of the Director of National Intelligence was created after the September 11 attacks to break down stovepipes within the Intelligence Community (IC) to prevent future attacks. The last two Senate-confirmed DNIs were forthright about the risk of … Continue Reading
February 18, 2020
Chairman Thompson Statement on Trump Waiving Procurement Laws to Build His Wall
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on President Trump's waiving procurement laws to build his wall: "President Trump broke his promise to make Mexico pay for the wall. Now he's not only sticking the American people with the bill, but also waiving procurement laws meant to protect taxpayers from government waste, fraud, and abuse. His cronies are likely to be the beneficiaries, while we are left … Continue Reading
February 14, 2020
Chairman Thompson: Trump Again Using Homeland Security to Score Political Points, Inflict Revenge as He Sends Border Patrol to Major U.S. Cities
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on news the Trump Administration is deploying tactical units of Border Patrol Agents to U.S. cities for immigration enforcement: "It is truly alarming that President Trump is moving resources away from the border just to ratchet up his cruel immigration agenda, throw meat to his base, and inflict revenge on states that don't do what he says. Doing so … Continue Reading
February 13, 2020
Chairman Thompson Statement on President Trump Again Diverting Billions from Pentagon to Pay for His Wall
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on news the Trump Administration is funneling $3.8 billion from the Department of Defense to fund his wasteful border wall: "Once again, President Trump's obsession over his border wall and fulfilling a campaign promise comes at the expense of our national security. The Pentagon is not a piggy bank to help the President win reelection. To be clear, the … Continue Reading
February 10, 2020
Chairman Thompson Statement on Trump’s Budget Request for the Department of Homeland Security
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Trump Administration's FY 2021 Budget Request for the Department of Homeland Security: "The Trump Administration's budget proposal for the Department of Homeland Security prioritizes the President's draconian immigration campaign promises at the expense of our country's core homeland security operations. "It seeks to unjustifiably decrease funding for … Continue Reading
February 06, 2020
Thompson Statement on Trump’s DHS Blocking New Yorkers from Global Entry
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on news the Department of Homeland Security has suspended enrollment for New Yorkers in Global Entry and other Trusted Traveler programs. According to Administration officials, more states may be next. "The Trump Administration's ban on all New Yorkers applying for Global Entry and other Trusted Traveler programs is a purely punitive move that has nothing to … Continue Reading
January 31, 2020
Thompson Condemns President Trump’s Backdoor Attack on Diversity Visa Program
(WASHINGTON) - Today, in response to the Trump administration's announcement today that starting on February 21, the U.S will begin restricting immigration by individuals from Nigeria, Eritrea, Myanmar (Burma), Kyrgyzstan, Sudan, and Tanzania, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, issued the following statement: "Make no mistake, today's announcement is a brazen step to begin dismantling the Diversity Visa program. This has been a longstanding … Continue Reading
January 13, 2020
Thompson Statement on Election Security Implications of Russia Hacking Burisma
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on news reports that the Russian government hacked Burisma in Ukraine, possibly for political purposes: "News reports that Russian hackers sought to breach Burisma late last year - seemingly to find dirt on the Bidens - are disturbing. If accurate, the reporting shows the lengths the Russian government will go to help the President win re-election and … Continue Reading
January 03, 2020
Thompson Statement on Homeland Security Implications of Trump’s Actions in the Middle East
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the homeland security implications of President Trump's reckless actions targeting Iran in the Middle East: "President Trump's reckless actions in the Middle East have made us less secure and risk serious consequences for the security of the homeland by escalating an already volatile situation. We have to be vigilant. I am concerned that a day later we … Continue Reading
December 19, 2019
Senate Passes Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Increase Security Resources for Faith-Based Institutions & Nonprofit Organizations
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI), today applauded the Senate passage of legislation (H.R. 2476) authorizing $75 million annually for FYs 2020-2024 for the Department of Homeland Security's Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which provides grants to nonprofits and faith-based organizations to help secure their facilities against a potential terrorist … Continue Reading
December 19, 2019
Government Facial Recognition Report Confirms Unreliability and Racial Bias
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) report on facial recognition technology: "In recent years, the Department of Homeland Security has significantly increased its use of facial recognition technology on Americans and visitors alike, despite serious privacy and civil liberties concerns. This report not only confirms these concerns, but … Continue Reading
December 12, 2019
Pentagon Inspector General to Review $400 Million Border Wall Contract After Thompson Request
(WASHINGTON) - Today, the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General sent a letter to Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, announcing the initiation of an audit of the $400 million border wall construction contract the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded to Fisher Sand and Gravel Co. Thompson requested the review last week. Chairman Thompson issued the following statement regarding the audit: "I am pleased that the Pentagon … Continue Reading
December 11, 2019
Oversight and Homeland Security Committees Release Staff Report Finding Coast Guard Leadership Failed to Address Harassment, Bullying, and Retaliation
(WASHINGTON)-Today, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, the Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released a joint staff report finding that the Coast Guard mishandled complaints of harassment and bullying and failed to hold those in leadership accountable for their actions. The investigation was initiated 18 months ago by then-Ranking Member Elijah E. Cummings and then-Ranking Member Thompson, in consultation … Continue Reading
December 05, 2019
Thompson Statement on New Evidence in Death of Child While in CBP Custody
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on an investigative news report on the death of Carlos Gregorio Hernandez Vasquez, a child in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody on May 20. "Today's report calls into serious question the steps U.S. Customs and Border Protection claims to have taken to care for a child in its custody. Not only did CBP hold Carlos longer than the legal limit and … Continue Reading
November 27, 2019
Thompson Statement on DHS Watchdog Child Separation Report
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) report out today on the technology and planning failures impacting family separation. Before the "zero-tolerance" policy was implemented in 2018, both CBP and ICE knew that their IT systems were completely inadequate to track separated families. They also knew they needed a plan … Continue Reading
November 21, 2019
Thompson & Richmond Statement on Jeanette Manfra Departing CISA
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, & Innovation, released the following statement on news that Jeanette Manfra is leaving the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA): "Jeanette Manfra led CISA's Cybersecurity Division at a pivotal time. In early 2017, Ms. Manfra took … Continue Reading