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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

Today Representative Rick Larsen released the following statement to those demonstrating peacefully against the Trump administration:

“Today, people all across Northwest Washington state are gathering to demonstrate peacefully against the excesses and corruption of the Trump administration.

“Excesses like the President spending more than 20 days golfing just so far this year, costing taxpayers millions in security and travel expenses. Corruption like the President accepting a $400 million luxury jet as a gift from a foreign country.

“And, most recently, the President has hijacked a parade to celebrate the Army’s 250^th birthday and turned it into a self-indulgent boondoggle. The Army estimates that the parade will cost $45 million.

“At the same time, Republicans in Congress are trying to pass huge funding cuts to programs that help families afford groceries. The Republican Rip-Off budget puts 14,000 people in Northwest Washington state at risk of losing food assistance.

“The food assistance program costs $6 per day per person. I did the math so you don’t have too – for the cost of the parade, Trump and Republicans could help more than 20,000 people access affordable groceries every day for a year.

“This Administration is also trying to cut 80,000 jobs at the Department of Veteran Affairs. If Republicans really cared about celebrating the Army, then they wouldn’t be attacking the system that millions of veterans rely on for health care and other essential services.

“I’m not able to attend the demonstrations of patriotism in Northwest Washington state today, but I want to thank every person who is showing up to make their voice heard. By rallying, by speaking up, by advocating for your communities, you are holding this administration accountable.

“I am standing with you, and I will continue alongside all of you to fight the excesses and corruption of this administration.”

Watch Rep. Larsen’s full statement here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Know Your Immigration Rights

If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) sent a letter to the Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) urgently requesting information regarding recent ICE activity in Concord, California as well as a meeting with the Acting Director. This letter comes after reports that on Tuesday, June 10, federal officers, some of whom were wearing plain clothes and were masked, from both ICE and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested and removed four asylum-seekers following their scheduled hearings at the Concord Immigration Court.

In the letter, Congressman DeSaulnier wrote, “I am deeply disappointed that your agency has chosen to use its resources to target individuals who are showing up to court to go through the proper judicial and legal process – exactly what proponents of immigration enforcement purport to advocate for. This misguided effort will only result in others avoiding courts and law enforcement entirely. As many individuals who need to use these courts are already living in fear, we should be encouraging immigrants to attend court as instructed, not making them even more afraid to appear. These kinds of underhanded enforcement actions also call into question the Administration’s commitment to the American ideals of law and order and the right to due process.”

He continued, “The district I represent has seen dramatic economic expansion due in large part to the growth of the tech industry in the San Francisco Bay Area. That industry would not exist without immigrants who came to the United States seeking freedom from repression and greater economic opportunity like so many others before them, my ancestors and those of most Americans included. The heavy-handed approach to immigration enforcement that this Administration is pursuing is particularly out of place in communities like ours, where people know and appreciate the many contributions that immigrants have made to our lives, and understand the dignity that every individual, regardless of immigration status, deserves. Our community will not be deterred or intimidated by attempts to provoke chaos, sow division, and violate our Constitutional rights.”

To that end, I request that you provide our office with the below information as soon as possible:

1. The number of individuals with scheduled hearings at the Concord Immigration Court who have been arrested at the court since January 20, 2025.
2. The current location of each of these individuals, including whether they are still in the United States.
3. The location(s) where new detainees who are arrested at the Concord Immigrant Court are being taken, given that ICE facilities are reportedly already overcrowded.^[1]
4. Whether individuals with asylum claims will have an opportunity to continue pursuing them after they have been detained by ICE.

In addition to the above information, I also request a meeting with you to discuss this matter as soon as possible. Thank you in advance for your prompt response.”

The full text of the letter can be found here.

About his home state, Congressman DeSaulnier said, “Californians are proud that our state boasts the fourth largest economy in the world – a standing made possible by the fact that we are also the most diverse state in the country, with the largest Hispanic and Latino population of any U.S. state.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (38th District of CA)

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.) released the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s ongoing, aggressive ICE raids in her district and the violent removal of Senator Padilla from a DHS press conference:

“What we’re witnessing is the weaponization of the federal government against immigrant communities and anyone who dares to speak out. These authoritarian tactics, including violently removing and handcuffing Senator Padilla at a press conference, are a clear attempt to intimidate California. But we won’t be silent.

“Instead of targeting violent criminals, this administration is indiscriminately snatching people off the street in my district and throughout Los Angeles. Arresting them at work, at church and even at their immigration hearings – while trampling on their civil rights and without due process.

“President Trump’s ongoing ICE raids and deploying federal troops is not making our communities safer. He is wasting $134 million while deploying more U.S. forces in an American city than are currently stationed in Iraq and Syria. Their presence is fanning the flames by sowing fear and chaos in our neighborhoods.

“The past few days have been horrifying for all of us, and I commend our community for standing with our immigrant neighbors. But it’s critical that we continue to do so peacefully to prevent further escalation from this administration.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ahead of Flag Day, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a bill to add the Mayor of the District of Columbia to the list of principals for whom the president shall order the nation’s flag be flown at half-staff. Current law states that the president shall order the flag to be flown at half-staff “upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory.” Norton said D.C. mayors, who perform many of the same functions as state and territorial governors, clearly qualify as principals and should receive equal recognition.

“Even though the District is not yet the 51^st state it strives to be, we should treat a deceased mayor in the same respect as comparable figures of states, territories, or possessions, which are named in the statute,” Norton said. “I can only assume that the omission of the District of Columbia was an oversight and not meant to disrespect a deceased D.C. mayor or the residents of the District of Columbia. Adding D.C.’s mayor to the list of officials who can be honored with flags flown at half-staff is a small but, to D.C. residents, significant way to ensure residents receive the equal treatment they deserve.”

Norton has successfully gotten other congressional recognition of the District of Columbia in situations where the District was overlooked while honoring the states. As a result of her work, the District of Columbia War Memorial honors only District residents who served in World War I; D.C.’s Frederick Douglass and Pierre L’Enfant statues sits in the Capitol alongside statues from the 50 states; the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 requires the armed services to display the District flag whenever the flags of the states are displayed; D.C. has a coin after it was omitted from legislation creating coins for the 50 states; the U.S. Postal Service created a D.C. stamp, like the stamps for the 50 states; and the National Park Service added the D.C. flag alongside the state flags across from Union Station.

Norton’s introductory statement follows.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on

the Introduction of a Bill to Permit the Flag of the United States to be Flown at Half-Staff in the Event of the Death of a Mayor of the District of Columbia

June 13, 2025

Today, I introduce a bill that would make a small but respectful change to federal law by adding the Mayor of the District of Columbia to the list of named principals for whom the President shall order the U.S. flag be flown at half-staff.  Current law states that the President shall make this order “upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory.”  Surely the D.C. Mayor, who has the same responsibilities as governors of states and territories, should qualify as such a principal.  This bill is part of our series of bills to ensure equal treatment for the over 700,000 D.C. residents.  In the 116^th Congress, the House Committee on the Judiciary passed this bill.

Congress has already acknowledged that D.C. is entitled to a place among the states for certain honors.  For example, legislation we got enacted gave D.C. a coin after D.C. was omitted from legislation creating coins for the states and required the armed services to display the D.C. flag whenever the flags of the states are displayed.  We got D.C.’s Frederick Douglass and Pierre L’Enfant statues placed in the Capitol, alongside two statues from each state.  We also successfully worked with the U.S. Postal Service to create a D.C. stamp, like the stamps for the states, and with the National Park Service to add the D.C. flag alongside the state flags near Union Station. 

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released a statement regarding President Trump’s military parade in the District of Columbia, scheduled for tomorrow. Each year, Norton secures a federal payment to the District to cover emergency planning and security costs of large-scale events and demonstrations, including the presidential inauguration.

“President Trump’s longstanding wish to waste millions of taxpayer dollars for a performative military parade in the style of authoritarian leaders is finally coming true on his birthday,” Norton said. “Granting his wish comes at D.C.’s expense, which will be forced to shoulder the cost of repairing the damage that dozens of military vehicles will do to local D.C. roads with an uncertain timeline for reimbursement from the federal government, if any. D.C. will also have to cope with their roads being shut down for up to four days, creating obstacles for D.C. residents seeking to go about their daily lives.

“Although this parade will feed President Trump’s ego and perhaps his base, it will not serve any legitimate purpose. It’s all the more objectionable for its timing, coming after President Trump authorized the firing, buyout, or early retirement of roughly 260,000 federal workers in the name of cutting waste. 

“The world knows that the American military is the most powerful in the world. Unlike less powerful nations, the United States has no need to show off by strutting our soldiers and equipment to prove our strength and leadership. Instead of wasting precious taxpayer resources, we should celebrate the military by using the estimated tens of millions of dollars devoted to the parade to rehire the federal workers who performed valuable services for American taxpayers, including service members and veterans.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) released a statement after the House passed its third anti-D.C. home rule bill this week. The bill, introduced by Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), would nullify locally-enacted D.C. laws, policies and practices regarding D.C. exchanging information about the citizenship and immigration status of individuals. It would require D.C. to comply with requests by the Department of Homeland Security regarding immigration detainers.

“The substance of Rep. Higgins’ bill is irrelevant, since there is never justification for members of Congress representing other districts to legislate on local D.C. matters. However, I’ll briefly address it.

“Consistent with federal law and D.C.’s values, D.C. limits cooperation with federal immigration agencies. The District concluded that cooperation would make D.C. less safe for all residents by diverting police resources and discouraging immigrants from interacting with the police department and other government agencies. D.C. is not the first or the only jurisdiction to come to this conclusion; many states, cities and counties agree.

“If Republicans cared about D.C. residents or democracy, they would take up H.R. 51, the D.C. statehood bill. H.R. 51 would admit the residential and commercial areas of D.C. as a state, giving D.C. residents voting representation in Congress and full local self-government.

“I will use all the tools at my disposal to prevent any further advancement of this bill.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

WASHINGTON — This morning, during a Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) defended Illinois, exposed the devastating consequences of President Donald Trump’s proposed Medicaid cuts, and set the record straight on the state’s immigration policies.

Congressman Krishnamoorthi used his time to call out the Trump administration for using the recent deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles as cover to avoid coverage of the House Republican budget plan, which the congressman refers to as the Large Lousy Law. In response to Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s questioning, Governor Pritzker confirmed that the proposed cuts would throw at least 700,000 Illinoisans off their health insurance and would lead to Illinoisans dying without access to health care. The proposed bill would also add trillions to the national debt, potentially triggering $500 billion in automatic cuts to Medicare, a program that every American senior depends on.

“What Trump doesn’t want to discuss is that his Large Lousy Law cuts $625 billion in Medicaid, a program that insures millions of Americans,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “Trump’s Large Lousy Law adds trillions to the national debt as well, which could force $500 billion in automatic cuts to Medicare. And of course, Medicare is a program every senior relies on.”

Congressman Krishnamoorthi also pushed back on President Trump’s repeated attacks on Illinois, including the assertion from the president that Illinois is a “poorly run state.”

“Illinois has a $1.1 trillion economy,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “We produce the most soybeans in America, and we’re the number two producer of corn. We’re the number two manufacturing state in the country, and the number two destination for corporate expansions and relocations. We have the world’s first quantum and microelectronics park, and we’re ranked tops in the Midwest for workforce development and startups. Illinois is the heart and soul of America. I’m proud to be from Peoria, and I’ll always stand up for Illinois, loud and proud.”

The Congressman’s full question line is available here, and his introduction of Governor Pritzker here.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi issued the following statement in response to the manhandling, forcible removal, and handcuffing of Senator Alex Padilla (CA) at Secretary Noem’s press conference this afternoon:

“Senator Alex Padilla is the elected representative of 40 million Americans. This Administration is detaining citizens in broad daylight and terrifying our communities, all while refusing to answer questions. I will be calling on Secretary Noem to testify before the House Oversight Committee immediately to explain why she thinks it’s acceptable for a United States Senator to be thrown to the ground and handcuffed for asking questions during a news conference.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (9th District of Illinois)

WASHINGTON – Today, Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) led concerned colleagues in a letter to Leonard S. Schleifer, CEO of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and Anne Wojcicki, Founder of TTAM Research Institute, asking how their companies plan to protect consumers and their families if either of the two companies’ proposed bids to purchase 23andMe Holding Co. are successful.

The bankruptcy of 23andMe Holding Co. presents an unprecedented risk for more than 15 million consumers whose genetic data could be included in the sale. Previous breaches of 23andMe’s genetic data have impacted over 7 million Americans and highlighted the privacy risks inherent in the collection of genetic data.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and TTAM Research Institute recently announced bids in the bankruptcy auction of 23andMe Holding Co. The concerned lawmakers are writing to obtain further information on how each company would plan to protect 23andMe’s genetic data. 

“We are seeking assurances that your company will adopt the broadest possible interpretation of previous policies and continue to put new safeguards in place,” wrote the lawmakers. “Genetic data, which 23andMe helped make accessible to millions of Americans, provides myriad benefits for medical research, genealogical research, and individuals and families seeking to understand their personal histories. However, genetic data is highly sensitive and its inclusion in a commercial bankruptcy proceeding presents enormous and unprecedented privacy risks for millions of consumers.”

At the end of the letters, the lawmakers posed 8 detailed questions that each clarify customer data privacy policies, and asked that Mr. Schleifer and Ms. Wojcicki provide written responses to the questions by no later than Thursday, June 26, 2025.

In addition to Reps. Schakowsky and Ocasio-Cortez, the letter to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals was signed by Reps. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Brendan Boyle (PA-02), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Jesús García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Summer Lee (PA-12), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), James McGovern (MA-02), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Eleanor Norton (DC), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Lori Trahan (MA-03), and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07).

The full text of the letter to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals can be found here.

The full text of the letter to TTAM Research Institute can be found here.

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