Press Releases
Thompson Statement on Trump’s Homeland Security Budget Request
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on President Trump’s FY 2019 budget request: "The President’s budget request for the Department of Homeland Security prioritizes politics over national security. Instead of focusing on the critical needs of first responders - the boots on the ground that keep our communities safe - the budget would waste $1.6 billion on President Trump’s dream of a … Continue Reading
February 08, 2018
Election Security Task Force Chairs Release Statement on Secretary Tillerson Comments on Russia Already Interfering in This Year’s Elections
(WASHINGTON) - Today, House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Robert A. Brady (D-PA), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Task Force on Election Security, released the below joint statement in reaction to Secretary of State Tillerson’s comments on Russia already interfering in this year’s elections. “Secretary Tillerson confirmed what Congressional Democrats have known since the ODNI released its report on … Continue Reading
February 08, 2018
Homeland Security Dems: FEMA Disaster Contracting Needs Reform
Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, together with all Committee Democrats, including Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications Subcommittee Ranking Member Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ), Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX), James R. Langevin (RI), Cedric L. Richmond (LA), William R. Keating (MA), Filemon Vela (TX), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ), Kathleen M. Rice (NY), J. Luis Correa (CA), Val Butler Demings (FL), and Nanette Diaz … Continue Reading
February 06, 2018
Thompson Cosponsors Bill to Crack Down on Domestic Terrorism
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL) was joined by Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), and Reps. Robin Kelly (D-IL), Lou Correa (D-CA), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) to introduce legislation aimed at preventing acts of domestic terrorism by white supremacists and other extremist groups. This is a companion bill to legislation first introduced in the Senate by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). A recent FBI-DHS joint intelligence bulletin found white … Continue Reading
January 20, 2018
Thompson Statement on Trump Shutdown
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Trump Shutdown marking the end of President Trump’s first year in office: "It is truly shameful that President Trump marks the completion of his first year in office by overseeing - and being the root cause of - this federal government shutdown. Over the past weeks, it has been clear that the President has brought no shred of leadership to … Continue Reading
January 19, 2018
Thompson Statement on Redacted Travel Ban Inspector General Report
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General report on the implementation and roll out of President Trump's first travel ban: "The heavily redacted Inspector General's report on the roll out of President Trump's first Muslim ban is a massive indictment of the Administration's senior leadership at the Department of Homeland … Continue Reading
January 16, 2018
Thompson & Nadler: New DHS/DOJ Terrorism Report is Misleading & Perpetuates Trump’s Anti-Immigrant Views
(WASHINGTON) - House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler and House Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson today released a joint statement in response to a misleading report released by the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security regarding terrorism in America. “Today, the Trump Administration released a report that purports to claim that foreign-born individuals commit terror at very high rates. This misleading report relies on manufactured … Continue Reading
January 11, 2018
Trump ‘Shithole’ Comments Show His True Colors
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on news reports that President Trump, during immigration policy negotiations, made disparaging comments about Haiti, El Salvador and African countries: “In contrast to President Trump’s self-proclaimed ‘performance’ put on in front of TV cameras at the White House Tuesday, his defamatory remarks against less affluent countries behind closed doors are a … Continue Reading
January 08, 2018
Thompson Statement on DHS Decision to End Protected Status for Salvadorans
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement after the Department of Homeland Security announced that it will terminate Temporary Protected Status for immigrants from El Salvador: “Today’s decision to cancel Temporary Protected Status for people from El Salvador is just the latest in a string of heartless, xenophobic actions from the Trump Administration. Many of those affected by today’s … Continue Reading
January 07, 2018
Thompson: DACA Not a Bargaining Chip for President’s Fantasy Wish List
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Administration’s immigration and border security demands: "This latest cynical effort to use vulnerable DACA youth as a bargaining chip to secure President Trump's fantasy of a closed immigration system and an unnecessary border wall is a new low for this Administration. These demands are non-starters for Democrats and only show us that the … Continue Reading
December 19, 2017
Democrats Withhold Endorsement of Task Force Report
(WASHINGTON) - Today, the Democratic members of the House Committee on Homeland Security’s Task Force on Denying Terrorists Entry to the United States released the below joint statement on their inability to sign-on to the Task Force’s final report. The Democratic membership of the Task Force, led by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), includes Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) and Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA). “We as Democratic Members of the Task Force remain steadfast in our commitment … Continue Reading
December 15, 2017
National Association of Secretaries of State Call on Congress to Provide Missing Funds Needed for Election Security
(WASHINGTON) - Today, the Congressional Task Force on Election Security, chaired by Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Robert Brady (D-Pa.) and Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.) applauded the National Association of Secretaries of State's call for Congress to provide the remaining $396 million in outstanding Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds to assist in updating and maintaining our nation's aging election systems. Russia's unprecedented … Continue Reading
December 05, 2017
Thompson: DHS Border Numbers Show No Need for Wall
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) end-of-year immigration enforcement numbers: “Today’s reports from DHS show that with border apprehensions continuing to decline to a 45-year low, there is absolutely no need to waste billions of taxpayer dollars on an unnecessary border wall. The Administration can try to twist these numbers into whatever … Continue Reading
December 05, 2017
Thompson Statement on DHS Secretary Senate Confirmation Vote
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on news the Senate has confirmed Kirstjen Nielsen to be Homeland Security Secretary: “While I am glad that the Department of Homeland Security will soon finally have a permanent leader for the first time since July, there is still much we do not know about Ms. Nielsen’s plans for the Department. She still must show us she has the ability lead a … Continue Reading
November 17, 2017
Thompson Statement on Emergency Supplemental Request
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Administration’s $44 billion emergency supplemental request: “The Administration’s third disaster supplemental request is an insult to all of our fellow Americans who are still recovering from major natural disasters. President Trump seems to have forgotten that the nation just faced three catastrophic hurricanes. We must not forget the … Continue Reading
November 15, 2017
Election Security Task Force Releases Preliminary Recommendations
(WASHINGTON) - The Congressional Task Force on Election Security, chaired by Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Robert Brady (D-PA) released its preliminary findings and recommendations marking one year since the 2016 election. Because of Republican inaction, the Task Force was created this summer to put forth solutions to secure our election systems after Russia interfered and attempted to influence … Continue Reading
November 10, 2017
Thompson Statement on Reports of White House Political Interference of DHS
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on news reports of White House interference with Department of Homeland Security policy and operations: “If true, the Washington Post report exposes a constellation of problems with how both John Kelly and this White House operate. Their penchant for political maneuvering over substantive policymaking is truly shameful. The Department of Homeland … Continue Reading
November 08, 2017
Thompson, Watson Coleman, Keating Agree with TSA Administrator: Agency Needs More Resources
(WASHINGTON) - Today, during his first appearance before the House Committee on Homeland Security, David Pekoske, the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, signaled that TSA needs more resources to effectively secure our aviation sector. For example, President Trump's budget request included a reduction for TSA funding for FY 2018. It also did not include funding for next generation screening technology, which has been adopted in other countries. Under current law, … Continue Reading
November 01, 2017
Top Judiciary, Homeland, & CBC Dems on Trump’s Call to End the Diversity Visa Program
(WASHINGTON) Today, House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chairman Cedric Richmond (D-LA), CBC Second Vice Chair and Co-Chair of the CBC Task Force on Foreign Affairs and National Security Karen Bass (D-CA), and CBC Member-At-Large and Chair of the CBC Immigration Working Group Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), issued the following joint statement regarding President … Continue Reading
October 30, 2017
Republicans Protect Trump Administration and Cancel Hearing with San Juan Mayor
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement after Committee Republicans canceled Wednesday’s hearing “Assessing FEMA’s Preparedness and Response Capabilities” with FEMA Administrator Brock Long and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz. No reason or rescheduled date was given. "I invited the Mayor of San Juan to testify before our Committee’s hearing on FEMA’s preparedness and response … Continue Reading