Press Releases
Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson Floor Statement in Opposition to the Republicans’ Sham Impeachment of Secretary Mayorkas (H.Res. 863)
(WASHINGTON) - What is happening here today is a travesty. It is an affront to the United States Constitution, it will do nothing to solve challenges at our border, and it is a baseless attack on a dedicated public servant. Republican Members of Congress - sworn to support and defend the Constitution - are rejecting the Framers’ intent and over two centuries of precedent in favor of a politically motivated sham impeachment. Republicans have failed at making a constitutionally viable case for … Continue Reading
January 31, 2024
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on Republicans Shutting Down Debate of their Sham Impeachment of Secretary Mayorkas
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement after Committee Chairman Mark Green and Committee Republicans shut down debate during the markup of their sham impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas. This prevented Democrats from offering any more amendments. “Committee Republicans abruptly shut down debate of their sham impeachment articles in the dark of night. They were either uncomfortable … Continue Reading
January 29, 2024
Democrats Release Report on the Extreme MAGA Republican Sham Impeachment of Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released a staff report to rebut the extreme MAGA Republican sham impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. After holding only two impeachment hearings and hearing from only two impeachment scholars, Committee Republicans plan to mark up articles of impeachment against the Secretary tomorrow. The staff report Democrats released today, entitled Republican Abuse of … Continue Reading
January 28, 2024
Ranking Member Thompson Releases Statement on Republicans’ Sham Articles of Impeachment
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on Committee Chairman Mark Green releasing sham articles of impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas: “What is glaringly missing from these articles is any real charge or even a shred of evidence of high crimes or misdemeanors - the Constitutional standard for impeachment. That should come as no surprise because Republicans’ so-called … Continue Reading
January 19, 2024
Ranking Members Thompson and Carter Issue Statement on FEMA Reforming its Disaster Assistance Program to Help Impacted Communities
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology, issued the following statement on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announcing the overhaul of its Disaster Assistance program to ensure that more disaster survivors receive financial assistance faster by expanding … Continue Reading
January 10, 2024
ICYMI: Extreme MAGA Republican Impeachment Hearing “Falls Flat” as GOP Members Admit No Evidence of High Crimes or Misdemeanors
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement after the Republicans held their so-called first official impeachment hearing of Secretary Mayorkas: “Today’s hearing has confirmed what we already knew: this so-called impeachment is nothing more than a thinly veiled political stunt. Committee Republicans have failed to make a case for impeachment, failed to understand the Constitution, and failed to do … Continue Reading
December 01, 2023
Ranking Member Thompson: Extreme MAGA Republican Effort to Impeach DHS Secretary Fully Exposed as Political Stunt
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on the extreme MAGA Republican effort to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas: “Tonight, the extreme MAGA Republican effort to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas was fully exposed as the political stunt that it is. “As early as this morning, the Homeland Security Committee Chairman said he did not want to create a 'false hope' that his … Continue Reading
November 30, 2023
Ranking Member Thompson Issues Statement Following Repeated Extreme MAGA Republican Slander of CISA
Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, issued the following statement after Republicans again made misleading statements about the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) efforts to build resilience to mis- and disinformation at a hearing of the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government today: “The spirit of our democracy relies on a well-informed and … Continue Reading
October 30, 2023
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on President Biden’s Executive Order on AI
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on President Biden signing a landmark Executive Order on artificial intelligence (AI): “Rapid advances in AI technology create novel risks and opportunities for our homeland security. I applaud President Biden’s leadership in issuing this new executive order that seeks to harness the great potential in AI for detecting cyberattacks, illicit drugs, and other … Continue Reading
September 29, 2023
Ranking Members Thompson and Raskin Issue Statement Following Ninth and Final Voluntary Transcribed Interview with Border Patrol Sector Leadership
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Committee on Oversight and Accountability Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, and Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson, issued the following statement after the Committees’ voluntary transcribed interview with U.S. Border Patrol Agent Dustin Caudle, Deputy Chief Patrol Agent of the Yuma Sector: “Committee Republicans have now completed a six-month process of interviewing the leadership of all nine southwest Border Patrol sectors while forcing them … Continue Reading
September 26, 2023
Ranking Members Thompson and Raskin Issue Statement Following Eighth Voluntary Transcribed Interview with Border Patrol Sector Chief
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Committee on Oversight and Accountability Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, and Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson, issued the following statement after the Committees’ voluntary transcribed interview with U.S. Border Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez, Chief Patrol Agent of the Rio Grande Valley Sector: “Today is the eighth time Committee Republicans have forced a Border Patrol Sector Chief away from their duty station to confirm what we already know: … Continue Reading
September 11, 2023
Ranking Member Thompson Marks 22 Years Since the September 11 Attacks
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement commemorating the twenty-second anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks: “Twenty-two years ago, we tragically lost 3,000 of our fellow Americans in the deadliest terror attack in our history - profoundly altering our way of life in our Nation. Today, we pledge to Never Forget and remember the lives lost, including the brave first responders who … Continue Reading
September 08, 2023
Thompson, Payne Release Statement on DHS’s First ‘Report on Homeland Security for Children’
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), released the below statement on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) releasing its first Report on Homeland Security for Children, which was mandated in the Homeland Security for Children Act (P.L. 117-130). This law, authored by Rep. Payne, Jr., ensures DHS is taking the needs of children into account when implementing its strategies, policies, … Continue Reading
September 06, 2023
Ranking Members Thompson and Carter Mark Start of National Preparedness Month
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology, mark the start of National Preparedness Month. Both will serve as National Preparedness Month Congressional Co-Chairs this year. “Climate change is increasing extreme weather events across the Nation. Recent examples include the Maui wildfires - the worst wildfires in over 100 years - … Continue Reading
August 28, 2023
Ranking Member Thompson Statement on the Shooting in Jacksonville
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the shooting in Jacksonville this Saturday: “The tragic shooting in Jacksonville on Saturday targeting Black Americans was not only an act of hate – it was an act of domestic terrorism, plain and simple. Sadly, it is just the latest example of an individual with malice toward Black Americans being emboldened to inflict violence … Continue Reading
August 21, 2023
Thompson Statement on Extreme MAGA Republicans’ Baseless Subpoena to DHS in Absurd Impeachment Quest
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green subpoenaing the Department of Homeland Security for immigration data: “It is absurd that extreme MAGA Republicans running our Committee have subpoenaed the Department while the Department has been working with them to get them what they need and has been producing and transmitting requested … Continue Reading
August 02, 2023
Thompson Releases Statement on ICE’s Stewart Detention Center After Inspector General Report
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement in response to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Report on the Office’s Inspection of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia. Inspectors found that the facility did not meet standards for its special management units or custody classification as well … Continue Reading
July 28, 2023
Thompson, DeLauro Celebrate Largest Ever Boost in Pay for TSA’s Workforce of 60,000+
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Committee on Appropriations, released the below statements celebrating that this week, the Transportation Security Administration’s workforce of 60,000 will get their first substantial pay raise, along with expanded collective bargaining rights, since the agency was created in 2001. This boost was the result of funding … Continue Reading
July 28, 2023
Thompson Blames Senate and Congressional Republicans for Expiration of Chemical Security Counterterrorism Program
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement blaming the Senate and Congressional Republicans for the critical Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program lapsing at midnight last night, ceasing all regulatory functions of the program until at least September, possibly longer. “It is reprehensible that the Senate is leaving town without extending the authorization for our … Continue Reading
July 26, 2023
Ranking Members Thompson and Raskin Issue Statement Following Seventh Voluntary Transcribed Interview with Border Patrol Sector Chief
(WASHINGTON) – Committee on Oversight and Accountability Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, and Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson, issued the following statement after the Committees’ voluntary transcribed interview with U.S. Border Patrol Agent John Modlin, Chief Patrol Agent of the Tucson Sector: “Today’s interview marks the second time this year that Republicans have called Chief Patrol Agent Modlin to spend hours before Congress away from … Continue Reading