Latest news with #HouseCommitteeonHomelandSecurity
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kristi Noem Torched for 'Playing Dress-Up' While Deporting Children
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem got slammed by a Democratic lawmaker Wednesday for 'playing dress-up' while breaking immigration laws to conduct Donald Trump's deportations. During a hearing before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Rhode Island Representative Seth Magaziner took Noem to task for removing U.S. citizens and documented immigrants as part of the Trump administration's sweeping deportation efforts. 'During your confirmation hearing, you said that your focus would be on deporting immigrants who have been convicted of crimes, and those who have received removal orders. But that is not what you have been doing,' Magaziner said. 'Instead you have been deporting children with cancer, children who are U.S. citizens, a gay makeup artist who committed no crime and didn't even enter the country illegally. 'You have been sloppy; your department has been sloppy. And instead of focusing on real criminals, you have allowed innocent children to be deported while you fly around the country playing dress-up for the cameras,' Magaziner continued. 'Instead of enforcing the laws, you have repeatedly broken them. You need to change course immediately, before more innocent people are hurt on your watch.' Magaziner was referring to a mother in Louisiana who was deported to Honduras in April alongside her 7-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son, the latter of whom had been diagnosed with cancer. Attorneys for that woman and another mother who was removed with her 2-year-old have contended that their clients did not wish for their children to be removed from the United States. Earlier in his questioning, Magaziner asked Noem to explain why Immigration and Customs Enforcement had removed the 4-year-old diagnosed with cancer, despite the mother's wishes. 'What evidence do you have to support your claim that she did consent?' Magaziner asked. Noem, who has denied that the Trump administration has removed any U.S. citizens (it has deported at least 12) insisted that DHS had followed protocol, but failed to provide proof. 'We will get that to you, sir, I don't have it with me,' Noem said. 'Please do. I understand, it's hard to keep them all straight because you've deported multiple U.S. citizen children, but I'm asking specifically about the 4-year-old with cancer who was deported on April 25,' Magaziner said. 'For the record, that family was also not given access to legal counsel before they were deported, even though their lawyer was in the same building at the time,' Magaziner noted. Magaziner referred to ICE's directive on detained parents, which states that 'parents and legal guardians should have the ability to make alternative care arrangements prior to their arrest or detention.' 'ICE must afford parents the opportunity to consult with legal counsel,' Magaziner said. 'So, did the ICE agents working on this case, who deported this 4-year-old with cancer, of their own volition fail to follow ICE policies, or were they directed to by your office or anyone else in DHS leadership?' the Rhode Island Democrat asked. 'Sir, this mother chose to keep her child with her—' Noem began to answer before she was interrupted. 'You have not produced any evidence to say so, but I'm asking again, have you directed—have you directed DHS officers to ignore this policy?' Magaziner said. Noem claimed that the Trump administration was attempting to keep families together, unlike the previous administration, which separated families 'over and over.' The Biden administration repeatedly separated families at the border, including roughly 300 children in 2024 and another 300 in 2023. Over the course of the first Trump administration, immigration authorities separated more than 4,000 migrant children from their families.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pfluger's 'DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes Act' passes the House
May 7—WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, on Wednesday had legislation pass through the U.S. House of Representatives. Pfluger's "DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes Act" will defend American students from the Chinese Communist Party by prohibiting any Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding from flowing to universities that host a Confucius Institute or maintain a relationship with a Chinese entity of concern, a news release said. Following the legislation's passage, Rep. Pfluger released the following statement: "The Chinese Communist Party has proven to be an untrustworthy, adversarial actor by continually undermining American interests at every turn — in no world should they have a front-row seat in our classrooms funded by our own taxpayer dollars," Pfluger said. "The bipartisan passage of my legislation today sends a clear message: America's universities and research labs will no longer be used to steal critical research, recruit talent for Military-Civil fusion enterprises, conduct espionage, commit transnational repression, and influence academic institutions to the benefit of the CCP. This is a victory for our national security and future generations of Americans." Several leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives also praised the passage of Pfluger's legislation: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said, "House Republicans will not tolerate adversarial regimes, like the Chinese Communist Party, using propaganda to manipulate students, undermine academic institutions, and compromise national security. Higher education in America must remain free from foreign malign influence. I commend Rep. Pfluger for his leadership in protecting students and ensuring taxpayer dollars are not used to fund institutions that host Confucius Institutes or maintain ties to Chinese entities supporting CCP interests." House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green said, "Beijing's malign influence should never have been allowed to reach American campuses. Chairman Pfluger's legislation will protect our universities from the CCP's efforts to steal American research and innovation, which Xi uses to undermine our nation's sovereignty," Chairman Green said. "After years of hard work by Chairman Pfluger, I look forward to getting this bill to the Senate and signed into law by President Trump. We must prevent American taxpayer dollars from funding our greatest geopolitical adversary's sinister ambitions." Majority Leader Steve Scalise said, "For years, the Chinese Communist Party targeted the United States and our institutes of higher education in attempts to influence and exploit American classrooms and research. Specifically, Confucius Institutes were extensions of the CCP's influence network meant to conduct espionage in the U.S., impact academic institutions' decisions, push propaganda, and steal intellectual property and trade secrets. We cannot allow foreign adversaries to infiltrate U.S. education, participate in shaping the minds of America's future leaders, or allow them access to steal intellectual property. That is why we must ensure American institutions of higher education fully cut ties with these hostile entities or face consequences. I'm grateful to Rep. Pfluger for his leadership on this issue and for bringing legislation to protect our best and brightest." House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain said, "There's no place for Chinese propaganda in America. House Republicans are ending CCP influence on college campuses and ensuring taxpayer dollars are not funding foreign agendas. My colleague Rep. Pfluger has done a great job getting this bill to the finish line, and I'm proud to have voted YES to pass this bill and defend our students from harmful CCP influence." Majority Whip Tom Emmer said, "We cannot allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate and influence American schools without consequence—especially schools that are funded by taxpayer dollars. I thank Rep. Pfluger for leading a bill that rightly restricts federal funding to any institution of higher education that chooses to align with the CCP's anti-American agenda." Confucius Institutes have historically been presented as centers for promoting Chinese language and culture, but unfortunately, they have proven to be far from that. Confucius Institutes have been used to steal critical research, recruit talent for Military-Civil fusion enterprises, conduct espionage, commit transnational repression, and influence academic institutions to the benefit of the CCP. At their peak, the United States hosted approximately 118 Confucius Institutes, primarily at colleges and universities. There are fewer than 14 active Confucius Institutes today, but the danger remains. Many of these programs have rebranded themselves within universities with the same mission as before: to subvert national security and expand CCP influence operations. Prior to its passage, Pfluger delivered remarks on the House floor highlighting these dangers and more to outline the critical need for this legislation. Pfluger has led this legislation since the 117th Congress, reintroduced the "DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes Act, and held a CTI Subcommittee hearing to combat threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party to U.S. National Security. During the hearing, He had experts agree with the need for his legislation, stating that federal funding should be restricted from universities with Confucius institutes. Following the hearing, Pfluger's legislation passed through the House Committee on Homeland Security's legislative markup with bipartisan support.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘One Big, Beautiful Bill' Will Give Americans a Secure Border
This week, the House Committee on Homeland Security will take a major step toward enacting legislation to implement President Trumps border security agenda. As part of the Houses broader reconciliation effort, the committee will be marking up legislation to fully fund one of the presidents top priorities - securing our southwest border following four years of the unprecedented and self-inflicted border crisis at the hands of the Biden-Harris administration. It is a generational opportunity on which we must deliver, and the timing is ideal. Since President Trump took office, following his promises to end the Biden-Harris open-borders policies and restore interior enforcement, illegal crossings have plummeted. In March, Border Patrol agents recorded just around 7,000 apprehensions at the southwest border; for much of Bidens reign, that number (often higher) was the daily average. Under President Trump, the world understands that our borders are once again closed to illegal immigration. But the work is far from over. Congress must act. During his first term, President Trump was devoted to securing our borders and reducing illegal immigration, and he went to great lengths to do so. However, an uncooperative Congress limited him primarily to acting via executive authority. When Biden took office, Trumps actions were reversed. The only way for us to make good on our promises to the American people is to codify President Trumps agenda. Funding common-sense and effective border security measures through reconciliation is the first step. We might not be able to achieve every needed reform in this "one big, beautiful bill," but it is an essential starting point. A quick look at the Homeland Security Committees legislative text demonstrates why. First, we will never secure our border without adequate investments in physical security. Our text does that, devoting more than $46 billion to construction of new border wall system. This includes not just the wall itself, but lights, sensors, cameras, and access roads - vital tools that Border Patrol agents say they need to control and secure the border. Democrats sitting in air-conditioned TV studios and hearing rooms may mock the presidents focus on physical border security, but in doing so, they show how out of touch they are with the men and women on the ground. One survey by the National Border Patrol Council has found that nine out of 10 agents agree with the importance and utility of a strategically placed border wall system. Former Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke, who led operations in the San Diego sector until his retirement in 2023, told my committee in a transcribed interview that the wall "slows down the people as they come across, and so we have more time to respond and actually make an apprehension." Second, we are also going to ensure that CBP has the personnel and resources it needs to carry out President Trumps vision and fully secure our borders. That means money to hire thousands more Border Patrol agents, customs officers, and Air and Marine Operations agents. At the same time, we are going to supercharge CBPs ability to intercept human smugglers and deadly drugs like fentanyl, by funding the construction of more internal checkpoints and other facilities, as well as new technologies that will act as a force multiplier for agents. In 2023, other chief patrol agents told my committee that the border crisis had pulled personnel away from manning some existing checkpoints, and they were deeply concerned about the drugs that likely slipped through as a result. Under the Trump administration, not only are agents able to get back to their frontline security mission - they will have an even stronger operational footing from which to conduct that mission. Finally, we will continue to support states that are serious about border security. House Republicans understand what time it is. The committees of jurisdiction will have grueling markups in the days ahead as we work to get this bill to President Trumps desk. As they have for the last four years, Democrats will fight tooth and nail to stop us from securing the border and enforcing our laws. They will demonstrate why only about 20% of the country views them favorably. However, Republicans must keep our eyes focused on the ultimate objective - re-securing the border, ending mass illegal immigration, and preventing another open-borders crisis. With this investment, we will help ensure the catastrophe of the last four years does not happen again. We can do it. We must. And we will. Rep. Mark Green, a Republican, is a former physician and combat veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq, where he served three tours. He is chair of the House Homeland Security Committee and serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The Independent
22-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Mayor of Mississippi's capital city fights for third term despite federal bribery indictment
The mayor of Mississippi 's capital city, who's under indictment on federal bribery and conspiracy charges, is fighting to keep his job. In a matchup Jackson voters have seen before, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, seeking a third term, faces state Sen. John Horhn in a Democratic primary runoff on Tuesday. ' People are ready for something different," Horhn said. 'They are ready for change; they're ready for leadership; they're ready for better streets; they're ready for less crime; they're ready for more opportunities.' Lumumba defeated Horhn in the 2017 Democratic primary outright, earning 55% of the vote. This time around, Lumumba's vote share dropped to 17% in an April 1 primary. Horhn secured 48%, short of a majority needed to avoid a runoff. Horhn benefited from the endorsement of Mississippi U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Homeland Security, noted Eric R. Schmidt, an assistant professor of government and politics at Millsaps College. 'What's different is that he came very close to winning the Democratic party nomination outright; and what's different as well is the cloud that the criminal indictment against the current mayor has cast over the race,' Schmidt said. Lumumba, Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owns and Jackson City Council member Aaron B. Banks were indicted in November. The indictment alleges the three Democrats accepted payments, including $50,000 for the mayor's reelection campaign, from two people they thought were real estate developers looking to build a hotel near the downtown convention center. It turns out they worked for the FBI. All three have pleaded not guilty. 'Residents have been, you know, told a narrative that should — that should give them every reason for us not to be here, right? And we're trying to make it clear that that's not who we are," said Lumumba. Schmidt said the winner of Tuesday's runoff will almost certainly be the next mayor of Jackson, given the city's demographic makeup. More than 80% of residents are Black, the highest percentage of any major U.S. city, and about 25% live in poverty. The general election is set for June 3.
Associated Press
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Mayor of Mississippi's capital city fights for third term despite federal bribery indictment
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The mayor of Mississippi's capital city, who's under indictment on federal bribery and conspiracy charges, is fighting to keep his job. In a matchup Jackson voters have seen before, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, seeking a third term, faces state Sen. John Horhn in a Democratic primary runoff on Tuesday. 'People are ready for something different,' Horhn said. 'They are ready for change; they're ready for leadership; they're ready for better streets; they're ready for less crime; they're ready for more opportunities.' Lumumba defeated Horhn in the 2017 Democratic primary outright, earning 55% of the vote. This time around, Lumumba's vote share dropped to 17% in an April 1 primary. Horhn secured 48%, short of a majority needed to avoid a runoff. Horhn benefited from the endorsement of Mississippi U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Homeland Security, noted Eric R. Schmidt, an assistant professor of government and politics at Millsaps College. 'What's different is that he came very close to winning the Democratic party nomination outright; and what's different as well is the cloud that the criminal indictment against the current mayor has cast over the race,' Schmidt said. Lumumba, Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owns and Jackson City Council member Aaron B. Banks were indicted in November. The indictment alleges the three Democrats accepted payments, including $50,000 for the mayor's reelection campaign, from two people they thought were real estate developers looking to build a hotel near the downtown convention center. It turns out they worked for the FBI. All three have pleaded not guilty. 'Residents have been, you know, told a narrative that should — that should give them every reason for us not to be here, right? And we're trying to make it clear that that's not who we are,' said Lumumba. Schmidt said the winner of Tuesday's runoff will almost certainly be the next mayor of Jackson, given the city's demographic makeup. More than 80% of residents are Black, the highest percentage of any major U.S. city, and about 25% live in poverty. The general election is set for June 3.
