Bennie Thompson

I hope we can continue to work together to ensure that our committee will see this issue as a homeland security priority.

Prioritizing the border wall over ports of entry will impede our ability to end the opioid crisis.

History tells us that ramping up law enforcement as a response to a health crisis disproportionately affects minority communities.

Unfortunately, President Trump has not implemented a National drug control strategy to stem the flow of opioids across America's borders.

How have the Trump administration's funding cuts to stabilization and assistance programs... hurt our ability to defend against terror threats?

If President Trump's rhetoric has been harmful in this regard, his policies have been worse.

Unfortunately, as the virtual space becomes increasingly important to ISIS, the organization's existing efforts to recruit and radicalize followers are only furthered by the Trump administration's rhetoric and policies.

It is essential for the Trump administration to ensure a careful coordinated effort among all elements of our National security apparatus...

The increased number of Central Americans petitioning for asylum in the United States is not because more people are 'exploiting' the system via 'loopholes,' but because many have credible claims.

What the Trump administration, DHS officials, and many of my Republican colleagues call 'legal loopholes' are actually laws Congress put in place to protect some of the most vulnerable migrants, particularly children, seeking humanitarian…

We have laws in place so that people fleeing dangerous situations can request protection and humanitarian relief.

I continue to believe the practice is cruel and will only exacerbate the trauma experienced by children fleeing violence and unrest in their home countries.

Separating small children from their parents as a punitive measure runs counter to basic humanitarian principles and should be beneath even this administration.

I was shocked to hear that Secretary Nielsen has apparently not bothered to read the January 2017 intelligence community assessment that Russia interfered in our elections and undermined our democratic process to help President Trump win.

Even though this report is widely available, I will be sure to deliver the Secretary a copy.

I am troubled by the downturn in international travel to the United States.

I look forward to hearing TSA's plans for getting us to a place where this is a reality.

I do echo many of the Chairman's concerns regarding the inclusion of unvetted individuals in the PreCheck program.

I certainly appreciate the challenging job that TSA has in accommodating the increase in domestic travelers while striving to maintain the safe, secure, and reliable air transit that the flying public expects and deserves.

I thank the gentleman from Florida for his very kind yielding of time.

If Chairman McCaul believes Russia will interfere in the 2018 elections, as he has stated, we cannot ignore this threat.

Holding a focused and comprehensive hearing on election security is not a partisan or complicated request.

Chairman McCaul often reiterates his opposition to Russia, but actions speak louder than words.

I am extremely disappointed that Chairman McCaul has already backtracked on his public promise to hold a much-needed hearing on election security and the on-going Russia cyber threat.

I would absolutely prefer it in writing.