Press Releases
Chairman Thompson Statement on Updated DHS Public Bulletin on the Terrorism Threat
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Majorkas issuing a National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) bulletin on the current terrorism threat: "Today’s action by the Department of Homeland Security aligns with what the Committee was told about the current threat picture at our hearing last week on the dynamic terrorism landscape. It is not lost … Continue Reading
February 03, 2022
Thompson Statement on Biden Administration’s New Cyber Safety Review Board
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Biden Administration’s launch of the new Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB), a Board comprised of representatives from the Federal government (including DOD, DOJ, CISA, NSA, FBI), security firms, software suppliers, and other private sector organizations, to investigate “significant cyber incidents”: “We are pleased to see … Continue Reading
February 03, 2022
Chairman Thompson Statement on Counterterrorism Operation in Syria
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement in response to news that the ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi was killed during a U.S. counterterrorism operation in Syria. “I commend President Biden for taking decisive action last night to help keep the world safe and our homeland secure. I also thank the tireless effort from our military and intelligence community. “In … Continue Reading
February 01, 2022
Chairman Thompson Statement on Recent Bomb Threats Against HBCUs
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on news that at least a dozen Historically Black Colleges and Universities reported bomb threats for a second day in a row. “The spate of bomb threats against Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in recent days is incredibly disturbing and disheartening. It is not lost on me that these threats are targeting African American … Continue Reading
January 16, 2022
Chairman Thompson Statement on Hostage Situation at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement after a hostage situation yesterday at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas: “I commend law enforcement at all levels for coming together in a coordinated fashion to ensure the safe release of members of Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. While we are thankful that worshippers at the Congregation Beth Israel … Continue Reading
January 14, 2022
Chairman Thompson Statement on Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Attack Arrests
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on news that the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), at the request of US authorities, arrested members of the REvil ransomware gang and shut down their operations – including those responsible for the Colonial Pipeline, JBS Foods, and Kaseya ransomware attacks: “As President Biden has repeatedly emphasized in meetings with both allies and … Continue Reading
December 20, 2021
Chairman Thompson Statement on Additional Allegations Against Border Patrol in Lawsuit from Haitian Migrants
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on additional allegations made against U.S. Border Patrol in Del Rio, Texas in a lawsuit filed by Haitian migrants. "The allegations in this lawsuit - including new claims that Border Patrol agents used horse reins as whips on Haitian migrants - are appalling. It is also troubling that these allegations run counter to what senior CBP officials have told … Continue Reading
December 16, 2021
Thompson, Warren Release New Watchdog Report on Disaster Recovery Barriers, Lack of Equitable Outcomes
(WASHINGTON) – Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) released a report they requested from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the lack of equitable outcomes in disaster recovery programming across the Federal Government. In its report, entitled “Disaster Recovery: Additional Actions Needed to Identify and Address Potential Recovery Barriers” (GAO-22-104039), GAO found that … Continue Reading
December 15, 2021
Chairman Thompson Releases Statement on Government Use of Force Report
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report he requested on the use of less-lethal force by several Departments, including the Department of Homeland Security, during the 2020 civil demonstrations in Washington D.C. and Portland, Oregon. In the report, entitled “Law Enforcement: Federal Agencies Should Improve Reporting and Review of … Continue Reading
December 13, 2021
Thompson Statement on Reports of CBP Surveillance of Journalists
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement regarding news reports that the Counter Network Division at U.S. Customs and Border Protection's National Targeting Center investigated journalists, Members of Congress, and their staff using government databases, including data on travel records as well as personal and financial information: “If true, this abuse of government surveillance powers … Continue Reading
December 07, 2021
Chairs Thompson, Clarke Statement on Cyber Incident Report Language Excluded from NDAA
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, & Innovation, released the following statement after the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022 Conference Report was finalized without cybersecurity incident response language. Cybersecurity incident response legislation was included in the House NDAA … Continue Reading
December 06, 2021
Homeland Security and Oversight Committees Release Update on Georgia ICE Facility Investigation, Inquire on DHS Action to Protect Migrants
(WASHINGTON) – Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Oversight and Reform Committee, Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Chairwoman of the Border Security, Facilitation, & Operations Subcommittee, and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Chairman of the Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee, sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding health and safety standards … Continue Reading
December 02, 2021
Chairs Thompson, Barragán Release Statement on Court-ordered Reimplementation of ‘Remain in Mexico’ Policy
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Border Security, Facilitation, & Operations, released the below statement following the announcement from the Department of Homeland Security that the U.S. and Mexico reached an agreement on the court-ordered reimplementation of the Trump Administration’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ … Continue Reading
November 24, 2021
Chairs Thompson and Watson Coleman Announce Increased TSA Enforcement of Mask Mandate
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Chairwoman of the Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee, announced that after pressing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the agency has stepped up enforcement of Federal mandate for travelers to wear masks in transportation settings. In a letter to the Committee, TSA Administrator David Pekoske wrote that as of November … Continue Reading
November 19, 2021
Chairman Thompson Marks 20th Anniversary of the Creation of TSA
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, marked the twenty-year anniversary of the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), after Congress established it in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. “Following the devastating attacks of September 11th, 2001, Federal authorities undertook the massive effort to safeguard and defend our national transportation system,” said Chairman Thompson. … Continue Reading
November 19, 2021
Chairman Thompson Lauds Homeland Security Provisions in Build Back Better Act
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement regarding House passage of H.R. 5376, the Build Back Better Act, which includes $1.5 billion in investments at the Department of Homeland Security that address three pressing national security challenges: improving our national cybersecurity posture. helping to secure places of worship against domestic terrorist and other threats. intensifying … Continue Reading
November 09, 2021
Chairman Thompson Statement on OSC Report Finding that Former DHS Official Chad Wolf Violated the Hatch Act
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the below statement on the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) report out today, which found that former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official Chad Wolf violated the Hatch Act by presiding over a naturalization ceremony that was shown during the 2020 Republican National Convention. Chairman Thompson sent a letter to OSC on August 26, 2020, calling for this … Continue Reading
October 28, 2021
Chairman Thompson Statement on Homeland Security Provisions in the Build Back Better Act
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement regarding H.R. 5376, the Build Back Better Act which includes $1.5 billion in investments at the Department of Homeland Security that address three pressing national security challenges: improving our national cybersecurity posture. helping to secure places of worship against domestic terrorist and other threats. intensifying … Continue Reading
October 12, 2021
Chairman Thompson Statement on DHS Announcement to Protect Workers
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Secretary of Homeland Security announcing its worksite enforcement strategy: "I applaud the Secretary's announcement that the Administration is prioritizing immigration enforcement actions that protect workers by facilitating effective enforcement of wage protections, workplace safety, and labor rights. The previous Administration too often carried out … Continue Reading
September 29, 2021
Chairman Thompson Statement on DHS Creating New Law Enforcement Oversight Body
(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) announcing the formation of a Department-wide law enforcement coordination body, the Law Enforcement Coordination Council (LECC), in the wake of calls by the Chairman and others for reforms to ensure that law enforcement activities are more fair, equitable, and accountable. In July, Chairman Thompson and Committee … Continue Reading