Press Releases
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
September 27, 2021
Chairman Thompson Statement on TSA Announcing Merit Systems Protection Board Rights for its Frontline Workforce
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announcing it has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) in which the MSPB has agreed to review adverse action appeals from screening workforce employees. This follows Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas' announcement in June which highlighted steps the … Continue Reading
September 20, 2021
Chairman Thompson Statement on Border Patrol’s Mistreatment of Migrants at the Border
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on reports of U.S. Border Patrol's treatment of migrants along the border. "Video and photos coming out of Del Rio showing U.S. Border Patrol's mistreatment of Haitian migrants along the border are horrific and disturbing. This mistreatment runs counter to our American values and cannot be tolerated. I call on Secretary Mayorkas to take immediate action to … Continue Reading
September 17, 2021
Chairman Thompson Statement on DHS Watchdog Report Showing Border Patrol Failures in 2019 Death of Child in Custody
(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) issuing a press release indicating it had completed its investigation into the death of Carlos Hernandez Vasquez, Guatemalan boy who died in U.S. Border Patrol care in Texas in 2019. Chairman Thompson also sent a letter to the OIG requesting the final report. "The Office of … Continue Reading
September 11, 2021
Chairman Thompson Statement Marking 20 Years Since the September 11 Attacks
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks: "On this day twenty years ago, our country suffered the deadliest act of terror in our nation's history. On this solemn day, we mourn the thousands of American lives lost. We honor the brave first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their fellow citizens. We take … Continue Reading
August 13, 2021
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: "While I am glad to see Secretary Mayorkas and DHS leadership taking important steps to inform the public about threats to our homeland both from here and abroad, it continues to be troubling that the terrorism … Continue Reading
July 28, 2021
Chairs Thompson, Clarke Statement on President Biden’s Action to Secure Critical Infrastructure Control Systems
(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 below statement on President Biden releasing the National Security Memorandum on Improving Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure Control Systems: "The American people have waited four long years for strong, consistent White House leadership to defend … Continue Reading