Press Releases
Chairman Thompson Statement on the Biden Administration’s Transportation Mask Mandate
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Biden Administration announcing today that masks will be required on public modes of transportation, including on planes, trains, buses, and at airports: "I am relieved that the Biden Administration is accepting the science and is implementing a mask mandate for public modes of transportation. Although many of us urged the Trump Administration to make … Continue Reading
January 20, 2021
Chairman Thompson Statement on President Biden’s Immigration and Border Security Actions
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on President Biden's immigration and border security executive actions: "Today, President Biden turned the page on a dark chapter in American history. By signing these executive actions on his first day in office, we will protect Dreamers, end the discriminatory Muslim ban, and stop wasteful border wall construction. While we still have much work to do, … Continue Reading
January 19, 2021
Thompson Statement on FEMA Denying Maryland and Virginia Emergency Declaration Requests
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on news that FEMA has denied requests from Maryland and Virginia for an emergency declaration to assist in costs related to the domestic terrorist attack on the Capitol and the Inauguration: "It is unconscionable that the Trump Administration, in one of its final acts, would deny emergency funding to Maryland and Virginia after domestic terrorists attacked … Continue Reading
January 14, 2021
Chairman Thompson Statement on Family Separation Watchdog Report
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General report on the Trump Administration's family separation policy: "This report confirms what we already knew: that the Trump Administration intended to separate families at the border. They knew the consequences and did it anyway. Administration leaders did not coordinate the policy among agencies or … Continue Reading
January 12, 2021
Chairs Issue Statement After FBI Briefing on Investigation of ‘Siege of the U.S. Capitol’ and Preparations for Inauguration
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Committee on Oversight and Reform Chair Carolyn B. Maloney, Committee on the Judiciary Chair Jerrold Nadler, Committee on Homeland Security Chair Bennie G. Thompson, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chair Adam B. Schiff, Committee on Armed Services Chair Adam Smith, and Oversight Committee Member Stephen F. Lynch issued the following statement after a briefing from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and D.C. U.S. Attorney's Office relating to the deadly … Continue Reading
January 11, 2021
Chairman Thompson Statement on Chad Wolf’s Resignation from DHS
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on Chad Wolf's resignation from the Department of Homeland Security: "For months we have known Chad Wolf has been serving illegally in his position, so the timing of his resignation from the Department today is questionable. He has chosen to resign during a time of national crisis and when domestic terrorists may be planning additional attacks on our … Continue Reading
January 08, 2021
Chairman Thompson Statement After Twitter Finally Bans President Trump
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement after Twitter permanently banned President Trump: "After years of the President using Twitter's platform to spread lies, spew hate, and damage the fabric of our democracy, Twitter has finally banned him for perpetual incitement of violence. This is welcome, but long overdue, news. To be clear, the President's words matter and have resulted in division and … Continue Reading
January 07, 2021
Chairman Thompson: TSA and FBI Must Add Suspected Domestic Terrorists to No-Fly List and Keep Them Off Planes
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement urging the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to use their authorities to add the violent perpetrators involved in the domestic terrorist attack on the U.S. Capitol yesterday to the No-Fly List and keep them off planes: "Given the heinous domestic terrorist attack on the U.S. Capitol yesterday, I am … Continue Reading
January 07, 2021
Chairman Thompson: Permanently Ban Trump’s Social Media Accounts
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the need for social media platforms to ban President Trump: "For four years, Facebook and Twitter have given the President a platform to spew dangerous, violent lies and cause untold harm to our democracy. Facebook has finally taken the long-overdue step of blocking the President's account - at least for the next 13 days - but I'm deeply frustrated that it … Continue Reading
January 07, 2021
Chairman Thompson Statement on Domestic Terrorist Attack on Capitol
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the domestic terrorism attack on the U.S. Capitol yesterday: "What occurred yesterday at our nation's Capitol was - pure and simple - domestic terrorism incited by President Trump, his enablers, and those seeking to overturn the results of a legitimate election. January 6, 2021 will go down in history as the date that an angry mob of domestic terrorists and … Continue Reading
December 28, 2020
Thompson Statement on Nashville Suicide Car Bombing
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the suicide car bombing in Nashville, Tennessee on Christmas: "I commend the law enforcement officials in Nashville for their swift response to the suspicious vehicle and subsequent suicide bombing in downtown Nashville on Christmas Day. Their quick work prevented what could have been many more dead and injured in one of America's iconic cities. I am … Continue Reading
December 22, 2020
Chairman Thompson Issues Statement on Passage of Government Funding, COVID Relief Legislation
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on passage of the omnibus spending bill which includes coronavirus relief, funding for the Department of Homeland Security, and other homeland security legislation: "I am glad that Congress was able to come together and deliver desperately needed coronavirus relief legislation to the American people before the end of the year. This relief package will make … Continue Reading
December 18, 2020
Homeland Security and Oversight Committee Leaders Issue Statement After Classified Briefing on Cyber Attack on Government Systems
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security; Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform; Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Innovation, and Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, released the following statement after their Committees received a classified briefing from the … Continue Reading
December 04, 2020
Thompson Statement on Reelection as Committee on Homeland Security Chair
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), released the following statement after being reelected as Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security for the 117th Congress: "It is an incredible honor to be reelected as Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee for the 117th Congress. From tackling the coronavirus and countering the rise of domestic terrorism, to continuing to secure our election systems and fixing the Trump Administration's border security failures, our country … Continue Reading
November 25, 2020
Chairs Thompson and Maloney Announce Subpoena Regarding Allegations of Mistreatment at Irwin County Detention Center
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), the Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, announced the issuance of a subpoena to LaSalle Corrections for documents regarding disturbing allegations of mistreatment at the Irwin County Detention Center (ICDC), a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility operated by LaSalle. Dawn Wooten, a nurse at the facility, has alleged that … Continue Reading
November 23, 2020
Chairman Thompson Statement on President-Elect Biden’s Plan to Nominate Alejandro Mayorkas to Lead DHS
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on news President-elect Biden plans to nominate Alejandro Mayorkas to be Homeland Security Secretary: "I commend President-elect Biden for his pick of Alejandro Mayorkas to be the next Secretary of Homeland Security. He is a seasoned leader and veteran of DHS who will undoubtedly be ready on Day One. His immigration and cybersecurity experience, together with … Continue Reading
November 17, 2020
Chairs Thompson and Underwood Statement on Trump Firing Chris Krebs
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, & Innovation, released the following statement after President Trump, in a series of false tweets flagged by Twitter, fired Chris Krebs, Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA): "The President's decision to fire Director Krebs makes America less … Continue Reading
November 17, 2020
Chairman Thompson Statement on DHS’s Latest Attempt to Legitimize Chad Wolf’s Role and Actions
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement after the Department of Homeland Security initiated a series of convoluted legal maneuvers to again attempt to validate Chad Wolf's role as Acting Homeland Security Secretary and legitimize his official actions. On Saturday, a Federal court again ruled that he was illegally appointed to his position. "DHS's latest legal gymnastics won't change the fact that … Continue Reading
November 14, 2020
Chairman Thompson Statement on Federal Judge Ruling Chad Wolf Illegally Appointed, Invalidating DACA Suspension
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on news a Federal judge has ruled that Chad Wolf was unlawfully appointed to his position at the Department of Homeland Security - invalidating his DACA suspension. "Yet another Federal judge has ruled agreeing with the Government Accountability Office's decision that Chad Wolf was illegally appointed to his position as Acting Homeland Security Secretary and … Continue Reading
November 13, 2020
Chairs Thompson, Maloney, Correa, and Raskin Announce Coast Guard Has Made Sweeping Policy Changes After Joint Committee Report
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA), Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security, and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Chairman of the Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, announced that they have received notice from the U.S. Coast Guard Commandant … Continue Reading