MIL USHOR-2b Engine

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 Greg Steube (FL-17)

June 16, 2026 | Press Releases

NORTH PORT, FL — U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new North Port VA Clinic today, formally marking the start of construction on a facility that will expand healthcare access for veterans across Sarasota, Charlotte, and surrounding counties.
Once completed, the new clinic is expected to serve more than 10,000 veterans annually, allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand services and better accommodate Southwest Florida’s growing veteran population.
“I’m honored to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony for the new North Port VA Clinic,” said Rep. Greg Steube. “Our veterans have sacrificed in service to our nation, and they deserve access to high-quality healthcare close to home. I look forward to seeing this project completed and ensuring our veterans receive the care and support they have earned through their service to our country.”

Click here to learn more about Rep. Steube’s work behalf of veterans in Florida’s 17th District.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

Pressley Has Stood in Vigorous Defense of Immigrant Communities in MA 7^th and Nationwide, Fought to Bring Detained Neighbors Home

Photos (Dropbox)

BOSTON – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) led a closed-door listening session with unjustly deported and formerly detained constituents, emphasizing her commitment to abolish ICE in light of the harrowing, inhumane experiences endured by her constituents and their families. Joined by La Colaborativa partners, local leaders, attorneys, and advocates, Rep. Pressley held the listening session days after Republicans in Congress authorized $70 billion in funding for ICE to continue its rogue and violent operations with no accountability or reform.

In Congress, Congresswoman Pressley has been a champion in pushing back against Trump, defending our immigrant neighbors, and calling for ICE to be abolished. Rep. Pressley leads legislation to bring accountability to families whose loved ones have been murdered and harmed by ICE agents, including the DHS Use of Force Transparency Act and the Qualified Immunity Abolition Act.

“The testimonies I heard from families who have faced the violence and trauma of Trump’s mass deportation agenda were harrowing,” said Rep. Ayanna Pressley. “The Trump Administration has weaponized immigration courts, separated families, jailed babies, and killed protestors and people in detention. The violence, separation, and trauma that this lawless agency is perpetuating cannot continue. ICE cannot be reformed—it must be abolished. I applaud the advocates, attorneys, and other legal representatives who have met this moment with unparalleled might and resolve. Their partnership is essential to protecting our neighbors and for the public good.”

Joining Rep. Pressley and constituents for the listening session were Gladys Vega with La Colaborativa, Caitlyn Burgess with MacMurray & Associates, Andrew Lattarulo with Georges Cote Law, Todd Pomerleau with MA Deportation Defense, Gloribel Rivas with LUCE Chelsea, Jillian Nelson with Lawyers for Civil Rights, and Justin Fyten with Kids In Need of Defense.

“In my district, and all across the state, immigrants are being subjected to a life filled with fear and anxiety like never before – they are scared to attend their healthcare appointments, go to work, go grocery shopping, go to school and to seek justice in our court systems or police departments,” said Senator Sal N. DiDomenico. “This is not how you create a vibrant and prosperous state, and I am proud to work alongside Congresswoman Pressley and our Chelsea leaders to restore faith in government and peace in our communities. I want to thank Congresswoman Pressley and La Colaborativa for hosting this essential community forum to give voice and space to our neighbors who have had their rights stripped away by the federal government. We are fortunate to have Congresswoman Pressley push forward each day and continue fighting against the hatred and division that is coming from the White House.”

“When families come to us facing some of the most difficult immigration challenges, they need more than sympathy. They need action. Congresswoman Pressley and her team have consistently been there to help resolve complex cases and deliver answers for families when they matter most.” – State Representative Judith Garcia

“We hold deep gratitude for the community members, comrades, Congresswoman Pressley, and her team for creating space to share stories, lessons, and strategies. We are especially grateful to our comrades at Delaney Hall who organized the recent hunger strike. At a time when many feel discouraged, they chose to organize, resist, and make their voices heard. The lesson from Delaney Hall is bigger than any single facility. There is no such thing as a humane detention center. From Delaney Hall to Pike County Jail, Wyatt Detention Center, Eloy Detention Center, and Plymouth County Correctional Facility, the call must be the same: close them all. Our communities have power. We do not have to accept injustice in silence. When people come together, organize, and take collective action, we are at our strongest.” – LUCE Immigrant Justice Network

“Every day, we witness hardworking members of our communities being taken from their families, workplaces, and support systems and placed into immigration detention, often despite having little or no criminal history and posing no threat to public safety. We continue to see troubling failures throughout the immigration system, including a lack of meaningful due process, inconsistent application of the law, inadequate consideration of the facts and equities of individual cases, and a persistent lack of accountability when government agencies make mistakes or unlawfully deprive individuals of their liberty. These failures do not occur in a vacuum; they are occurring against the backdrop of policies and enforcement actions that have disproportionately targeted immigrant communities and communities of color, fueling fear and uncertainty among people who have long been valued members of our neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and places of worship. Our clients are not case numbers—they are parents, children, workers, caregivers, business owners, and neighbors who deserve dignity, fairness, and the opportunity to be heard. While the challenges facing immigrant communities have never been greater, our commitment as advocates must remain unwavering.” – Caitlyn Burgess, Senior Lead Attorney with MacMurray & Associates

“Thank you Representative Pressley for highlighting these abuses of power by the Trump Administration’s ruthless immigration campaign. The cases we’ve fought include the raids at the Allston Car Wash, the arrests and attempted deportations of crime and trafficking victims before their visa applications were processed, and the detention of working parents and children.  Massachusetts has experienced firsthand the wholesale trampling of due process rights of our noncitizen friends and neighbors. One such victim, Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, deserved better. She was shackled like a violent offender, detained without warning, and deported in violation of a federal court order. Rather than spending her time fighting an appeal from Honduras, she should be on campus at Babson College with her classmates—living her American Dream.  We stand ready to fight these injustices.” – Todd Pomerleau with MA Deportation Defense

“Congresswoman Pressley’s important convening underscored the urgency of holding ICE accountable for its illegal and inhumane enforcement tactics. We are grateful to the brave community members who shared their stories. Lawyers for Civil Rights will continue to harness all available tools to fight to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of immigrant families and communities.” – Jillian Nelson, Senior Attorney with Lawyers for Civil Rights

Photos from the event are available here.

As immigrant communities have been under siege by the Trump administration, Rep. Pressley has been a leading voice in pushing back and defending our immigrant neighbors.

Rep. Pressley has shone light on the inhumane attacks by ICE on immigrant communities and pushed back against the reckless agency. During Oversight Democrats’ bicameral shadow hearing on the use of violence by ICE, Rep. Pressley highlighted the urgency of the moment by uplifting stories of traumatized community members she met with during her trip to Minnesota with Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05) and invoking the horrifying detention case of five-year-old Liam Ramos. In the Massachusetts 7^th, Rep. Pressley has recognized and supported the many families torn apart and children suffering from the detention of a loved one—including harrowing attacks on Massachusetts families in their daily lives, abductions of dedicated workers at the Allston car wash, visiting Tufts graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk during her unlawful detention and pushing to bring her home, and more.

Rep. Pressley has stridently condemned the trauma that Trump’s terror ICE campaign is forcing upon children. Rep. Pressley’s advocacy to protect children from abuse and trauma dates back to her days as a Boston City Councilor. In her first term in Congress, she partnered with the late Chairman Elijah Cummings to hold the first Congressional hearing on childhood trauma on the Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Rep. Pressley leads the STRONG Support for Children Act, which would support communities in addressing childhood trauma through healing-centered, neighborhood-based, gender-responsive, culturally specific, and trauma-informed approaches that acknowledge the impact of systemic racism and inequities over generations.

• In May 2026, Rep. Pressley pushed for the closure of the Dilley Detention Center and other detention facilities committing human rights abuses. In a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley emphasized the state-inflicted trauma imposed on children by detention centers.
• In April 2026, the House of Representatives passed Congresswoman Pressley’s bipartisan discharge petition by a vote of 220-207 to extend Haiti TPS for three years. Congresswoman Pressley won a key procedural vote on the discharge petition and managed debate on the House floor prior to the successful final passage vote. Last month, Rep. Pressley’s discharge petition successfully met the 218-signature threshold to move forward with bipartisan support—only the 15^th discharge petition to do so in the last 40 years.
• In March 2026, Rep. Pressley visited the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Boston Field Office in Burlington, to conduct oversight of the operations and conditions of the facility.  Rep. Pressley engaged with ICE staff and leadership in a closed-door tour and discussion in the facility.
• In March 2026, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Dave Min (CA-47) introduced the DHS Use of Force Transparency Act of 2026 to ​​increase transparency and government oversight regarding injuries and deaths caused by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity.
• In February 2026, during Oversight Democrats’ bicameral shadow hearing on the use of violence by ICE, Rep. Pressley demanded Congress end qualified immunity to ensure federal law enforcement officers are held accountable for breaking the law and murdering civilians. Rep. Pressley called on her colleagues not to settle for bare minimum reforms in funding negotiations for the Department of Homeland Security, instead urging them to fight to rebalance power and restore accountability.
• In February 2026, Rep. Pressley convened immigrant entrepreneurs and small business owners, community advocates, and municipal leaders to hear of the essential role that immigrant-owned small businesses play in Massachusetts’ economy and communities and how they are suffering under Trump’s attacks.

• In January 2026, Rep. Pressley and Senator Markey held a field hearing with members of the Haitian community on the importance of extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti. Testimony was documented in the Congressional Record.
• In January 2026, at the invitation of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Congresswoman Pressley went to Minneapolis to meet with organizers and community members impacted by ICE’s violent operation in Minnesota, where they have murdered bystanders, terrorized schools and small businesses, and abducted children and parents.
• Following the ICE murder of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, Congresswoman Pressley and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced the Qualified Immunity Abolition Act of 2026, which builds on the lawmakers’ prior work by granting victims the right to sue federal law enforcement officers—not just state and local—for civil rights violations and abolishing the defense of qualified immunity in these suits. The expanded legislation would help deliver accountability for families abused by law enforcement, including ICE agents.
• Congresswoman Pressley delivered a floor speech on the need to end qualified immunity for federal law enforcement, including immigration officers. Watch the floor speech here.
• In January 2026, Congresswoman Pressley condemned the ICE murder of Renee Good in Minnesota and motioned to subpoena all records and footage related to the shooting, but Republicans obstructed it. Footage of Congresswoman Pressley’s motion to subpoena is here.
• In December 2025, Rep. Pressley convened and welcomed home the workers and families impacted by the cruel and unlawful ICE raid at an Allston car wash in November. Rep. Pressley delivered a powerful speech on the House floor condemning the Allston ICE raid and defended the vibrant immigrant communities who are being maliciously stolen from their homes, ripped from their families, and unlawfully detained and deported by the Trump Administration and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
• In June 2025, Congresswoman Pressley convened immigrant justice advocates, local leaders, and impacted families to tell Donald Trump and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): Hands off our immigrant neighbors. 
• Rep. Pressley has also been an outspoken critic against the unlawful detention of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts PhD student, Somerville resident, and constituent of the Congresswoman’s who was unlawfully detained for weeks in retaliation for her protected speech. After weeks of advocacy and Congressional oversight, including a visit to detention centers in Louisiana, Rep. Pressley and Senator Ed Markey welcomed Ms. Öztürk to Massachusetts following her arrival from ICE detention in Louisiana.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the full Maryland Congressional Delegation – Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05), U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-MD), and U.S. Representatives Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Andy Harris (MD-01), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), and Johnny Olszewski (MD-02) – released the following statement on Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ announcement declaring a Secretarial Disaster Designation in response to crop damage from the April 21, 2026 freeze and frost event. This announcement comes after the delegation sent a letter to the Trump Administration urging Secretary Rollins to act quickly to provide emergency assistance to farmers.

“Maryland farmers suffered devastating losses from the freeze and frost event in April, and it is clear they need federal support. That’s why we pressed the Trump Administration to approve Maryland’s request for a USDA Disaster Designation in order to unlock emergency loan funding and make emergency financial assistance programs available to impacted farmers. We’re glad to see that this request was granted, ensuring our local farmers will have access to these critical resources. Our farmers support our communities and our economy, and this assistance will help them recover from the major financial losses due to this extreme weather event. We will continue to support our farmers and agriculture communities across our state.”

Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

Headline: Scott, Moore, Bonamici, Frost, Grijalva, and Pocan Introduce Keep Public Funds in Public Schools Act of 2026

As originally released by the Committee on Education and Workforce, Democrats

WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, joined Representatives Gwen Moore (WI-04), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), and Mark Pocan (WI-02) in introducing legislation to repeal the national federal tax credit voucher scheme included in the Republicans’ so-called Big, Beautiful Bill.

Voucher schemes divert public funding into private schools that lack proper accountability and oversight. Private schools can pick and choose who they admit and lack protections for students with disabilities. In Wisconsin, Governor Evers vetoed legislation that would have opted Wisconsin into this program, further expanding vouchers in the state.

“The federal government is responsible for ensuring equitable access to high-quality, well-funded public education. Instead, in the ‘Big Ugly Bill,’ Congressional Republicans created a federal school voucher scheme that will funnel public dollars away from public schools to help subsidize private schools for wealthy families,” said Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce. “That is why I am proud to support the Keep Public Funds in Public Schools Act of 2026 to undo the harm caused by Republicans’ ‘Big Ugly Bill’ and ensure that public dollars are spent on public education.”

“In states across the country, charter school programs often operate with little transparency, sap funding from public schools, and primarily benefit wealthy students. In Wisconsin, taxpayers are paying $700 million this year alone for vouchers, and nearly all this money is funneled into religious schools. Instead of investing in our public schools, which educate most of America’s students, Republicans used taxpayer funds to create a national voucher scheme. As a proud product of public schools, I am honored to spearhead legislation with my colleagues that reverses this scheme and stands up for public education,”saidRepresentative Gwen Moore (WI-04).

“Public schools welcome and educate every child regardless of their background or income, and public funding should stay in public schools,”saidRepresentative Suzanne Bonamici. “The Big Ugly Bill’s voucher scam is a backdoor way to dismantle public education and divert public resources into private institutions – including religious schools. Research consistently shows that the majority of families participating in voucher programs already send their children to private schools. We must keep federal funding in public schools where all students can benefit.”

“Florida should be a warning about what happens when public education dollars are diverted into private voucher programs,”said Representative Maxwell Frost (FL-10). “We’ve watched public school funding flow into private voucher programs that lack the transparency, oversight and protections families deserve. Congress should be strengthening public schools, not exporting Florida’s mistakes nationwide. That’s why I’m proud to help lead the Keep Public Funds in Public Schools Act.”

“Arizona’s misguided experiment with universal private school vouchers should serve as a warning to the rest of the country. We’ve watched public education dollars be diverted into a system plagued by abuse,”saidRepresentative Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07).“The federal government should not replicate this failed program on a national scale. The Keep Public Dollars in Public Schools Act will help ensure federal taxpayer dollars strengthen the public schools that serve the overwhelming majority of America’s children, not subsidize privatization schemes rife with fraud.”

“As a proud public school graduate, I know firsthand the value and importance of our public education system,” said Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02). “Fixing this blatant abuse of the tax system will help kids across the country, not just those whose parents are members of Mar-a-Lago. I applaud my friend, Rep. Moore, for spearheading this legislation, and I’m glad to be part of this effort to keep public funds in public schools.”

“As governor and a former educator, I’ve spent decades of my life watching the impacts that draining public funds from public schools to fund private voucher school programs has had on kids, schools, and public education in Wisconsin,”said Gov. Evers. “Republicans in Washington have given private voucher expansion carte blanche to run roughshod over public education in this country—and a blank check to do so at taxpayer expense—clearly without any regard for whether it actually does what is best for kids. It’s wrong-headed and does nothing to address the real problems our public schools are facing. I am glad to support Congresswoman Moore and Congressman Pocan’s work to repeal this dangerous and harmful law and instead ensure our kids and schools are given real, meaningful resources they need to thrive.”

“Every student deserves a fully-funded public school in their neighborhood that prepares them with the lessons, support, and life skills they need to reach their full potential. Parents and educators agree that we should be investing in public schools, where 90% of students and 95% of students with disabilities learn, not taking money away from them to send to private schools. Let’s reduce class sizes so students get more one-on-one attention, and increase educator pay to help address the teacher and staff shortages. That is why the National Education Association applauds Congresswoman Gwen Moore for introducing legislation to repeal the first national school voucher program, which would drain funding from public schools and funnel it to unaccountable and discriminatory private schools,”said National Education Association President Becky Pringle.

“The use of public dollars for private voucher schemes remains anathema. While it’s a good thing that the political backlash has resulted in some potential uses for public school parents, vouchers are never a substitute for direct, sustained investment in public education.

“Let’s be clear what this administration is doing: putting its thumb on the scale for privatization and spending billions more to prop up this scheme than it ever has on public schools. It telegraphs, in words and in deeds, that it has no interest in improving the schools that 90 percent of kids attend. That’s why we wholeheartedly support the Keep Public Funds in Public Schools Act, which would repeal the tax credit and help the neighborhood schools that 90 percent of kids attend,”said American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten.

“Repealing the private school voucher tax credit is critical to protecting public education. At a time when state and federal budget cuts threaten public schools, vouchers would divert scarce resources away from the students who need them most—particularly Black, Latino, and low-income students and students with disabilities—and into systems that do not serve every child.

“With widespread OCR case backlogs and growing attacks on civil rights protections for Black students, expanding school privatization would further weaken accountability and leave many families with fewer safeguards. We should be strengthening public schools, not undermining them. EdTrust urges states not to opt into this program and calls on Congress to advance this important legislation to protect public education and educational opportunity for all students,”said Augustus Mays, EdTrust’s Vice President of Partnerships and Engagement.

“We commend Representatives Gwen Moore, Bonamici, Frost, Grijalva, and Pocan and the other cosponsors for their leadership in introducing the Keep Public Funds in Public Schools Act. Their efforts would repeal the federal tax credit program that will funnel billions of dollars to private schools that are not held to the same legal obligations to protect students with disabilities, jeopardizing their academic and social emotional growth. NCLD firmly opposed this program when it became law last summer. We urge members of Congress to support this legislation and ensure federal funds come with the legal protections all students are entitled to,”saidDr. Jacqueline Rodriguez, CEO of the National Center for Learning Disabilities.

Watch the livestream of the press conference here.

The Keep Public Funds in Public Schools Act is endorsed by numerous stateand nationalorganizations.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

13 June 2026

Contact: jin.choi@mail.house.gov

Barragán, Castro, and Stanton Demand Transparency on DNA Collection of Detained Families at Dilley Detention Facility

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following a congressional oversight visit to the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, U.S. Representatives Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Greg Stanton (AZ-04) sent a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons demanding answers about the collection and use of DNA from families detained at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center.

“During our visit, we learned that ICE collects DNA samples from individuals detained at the facility, including parents and children. Given the sensitive nature of biometric information, we seek greater transparency regarding these practices and assurance that these samples are being utilized responsibly and in accordance with applicable laws and policies,” the lawmakers wrote.

In the letter, the lawmakers request detailed information regarding DNA collection policies and protocols and ask for responses to the following questions no later than June 17, 2026:

1. A detailed description of ICE’s policies and procedures regarding the collection of DNA from adults and minors detained at the Dilley facility. 

2. A description of all databases, federal agencies, contractors, or third parties with whom DNA profiles or related information may be shared.

3. Information regarding how long DNA samples and resulting profiles are retained and the process, if any, for expungement or deletion.

4. Any guidance provided to families regarding their rights, the purpose of collection, and how their genetic information will be used. 

5. Any assessments conducted regarding the privacy, civil rights, or civil liberties implications of collecting DNA from children and family units. 

Additionally, the lawmakers raised concerns about the lack of educational programming at the facility. Local ICE officials informed them that only two certified teachers were on site despite a population of 97 children on the day of their May 26 visit.

The full letter is here. 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

28 May 2026

Contact: jin.choi@mail.house.gov

Reps. Barragán, Castro, and Stanton Inspect Dilley Trailer Prison, Meet with Children and Families

DILLEY, TX — On Tuesday, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), and Congressman Greg Stanton (AZ-04) conducted a congressional oversight visit to the Dilley detention center in Southwest Texas. During the inspection, ICE outlined the process for collecting DNA samples from detainees upon arrival but could not confirm proper protocols were in place to keep biometric information secure. Then, the members met with mothers, children, and fathers who shared experiences of poor food quality, difficult sleeping conditions, and lack of adequate schooling and medical care. When Congressman Castro visited Dilley in January, there were over 1,100 people in the facility. Yesterday, there were 345 people, including 66 families and 97 children.

Reps. Barragán, Castro, Stanton report conditions at Dilley. Watch the video here.

For Rep. Barragán’s solo video, see here.

“Why are young children being locked up at the Dilley Detention Center and rules being put in place to make it harder and harder for families to speak with Members of Congress?” said Congresswoman Barragán. “Our immigrant families should not be treated in this way. The Trump administration and ICE have not focused their enforcement on serious criminals. Instead, they’ve harassed and locked up families who have contributed to our country for years and played by the rules once they are here. We will continue to shine a light on the mistreatment of immigrants by this Administration, advocate for their release, and hold the Administration accountable through these Congressional oversight visits. Americans need to know what is happening.”

“For ICE, cruelty is the point,” said Congressman Castro. “Right now, there are three kids under the age of three locked up at the Dilley trailer prison, and ICE is making it harder for members of Congress to conduct oversight and hear directly from families. ICE is becoming more secretive and restrictive. Thanks to all who continue to speak out against this secrecy and inhumanity. I will continue to push to shut down Dilley and free our children.”

“We spoke to the children, parents, and spouses being swept up into Trump’s mass deportation machine — mothers separated from their American-born children, business owners imprisoned for months, and families left in deportation limbo after decades here with no criminal record. On-the-ground oversight of ICE facilities has never been more urgent, and we’re going to keep showing up,” said Congressman Stanton.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced that the University of Tennessee Heath Science Center (UTHSC) will receive two grants totaling $1,854,709 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The first, for $1,344,117, from the Office of the Director of the NIH, is for solution-oriented research identifying early-life modifiable risk factors for obesity and mental health problems in children under the director of Dr. Qi Zhao, a professor of Preventive Medicine.

The second, for $510,592, from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is for research into radiation-induced Paneth Cell dysfunction under the direction of Dr. Radhakrishna Rao, a professor in the Department of Physiology. Paneth Cells are a specialized cell type in the lining of the small intestines which are an important source of antimicrobial peptides. Certain types of radiation reduces the peptide production by these cells and alters microbiome composition. There are no FDA-approved therapeutics for radiation injury, and this work is essential to uncover the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in radiation-induced immunity dysfunction to help develop new therapeutics. 

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

“These federal investments in children’s mental health and in better understanding intestinal problems will improve the quality of life for patients and improve therapies. I commend Drs. Zhao and Rao and the University for their commitments to medical science.”

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Julia Brownley (D-CA)

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) joined Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) and Congressman Derek Tran (CA-45) in leading 32 members of the California Congressional Delegation in a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries raising the alarm about a section in the surface transportation reauthorization bill, the BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870), that would give rideshare companies immunity from any injury, sexual assault, or fatality that happens during a ride.

For a full copy of the letter, click here.

Introduced by Representative Fong (CA-20), the relevant section of the BUILD America 250 Act would ensure that rideshare companies “shall not be liable under the law of any State or political subdivision thereof […] for any harm to persons or property that results or arises out of the use, operation, or possession of a motor vehicle by an app-based driver,” protecting companies from legal liability even when presented with concerning information about a driver in a criminal background check, motor vehicle background check, customer complaint, safety test, or internal complaint. This would allow individuals who do not meet criminal or safety standards to continue operating as drivers. In the event of an incident, the company would not be held accountable, no matter its obligations to adequately screen drivers. H.R. 8870 was reported out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on May 22, 2026, with this language included, and awaits a floor vote by the full House.

Representatives Brownley, Lofgren, and Tran were joined by 32 members: Representative Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Representative Mike Thompson (CA-04), Representative Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Representative Jim Costa (CA-21), Representative Doris Matsui (CA-07), Representative Judy Chu (CA-28), Representative John Garamendi (CA-08), Representative Ami Bera (CA-06), Representative Jared Huffman (CA-2), Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02), Representative Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Representative Mark Takano (CA-39), Representative Juan Vargas (CA-52), Representative Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Representative Norma Torres (CA-35), Representative Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Representative Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Representative Lou Correa (CA-46), Representative Ro Khanna (CA-17), Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Representative Mike Levin (CA-49),  Representative Sara Jacobs(CA-51), Representative Robert Garcia (CA-42), Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Representative Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Representative Gilbert Cisneros (CA-31), Representative Laura Friedman (CA-30), Representative Sam Liccardo (CA-16),Representative Dave Min (CA-47), Representative Luz Rivas (CA-29),  Representative Lateefah Simon (CA-12), and Representative George Whitesides (CA-27).

The full text of the letter is below:

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Dear Speaker Johnson and Minority Leader Jeffries,

We write to urge you to strip out a provision in Title I of the BUILD America 250 Act (H.R. 8870), that would endanger consumers across the United States. The provision, which faced bipartisan opposition in markup, would shield rideshare companies from liability for crashes and sexual assaults caused by their negligence. This provision must be removed from the BUILD America 250 Act before it is considered on the House Floor.

The rapid expansion of the rideshare industry has introduced significant safety vulnerabilities, often putting consumers at the risk of physical harm. Uber alone faces more than 3,000 sexual assault claims in Federal Court nationwide for allegedly failing to implement adequate safety protections, driver screenings, or rider safeguards. In California, Uber is facing roughly 550 cases for allegedly failing to protect female drivers from sexual assault, stalking, kidnapping, or false imprisonment.

Victims may soon face a heavily restricted path to legal recourse. Uber is currently funding a California ballot initiative designed to cap damages for medical care and restrict a consumer’s ability to retain legal counsel following an accident. This initiative would functionally protect all negligent drivers and defective car manufacturers. Common product liability suits involving airbag defects, braking failure, steering issues, battery failure, or electronic control system and software defects would be judicially handicapped.

The BUILD America 250 Act, as amended, would further hinder victims’ ability to seek recourse. Currently, rideshare companies face legal accountability if their negligence causes harm–such as allowing a driver onto the platform despite a known dangerous criminal history. If that driver later assaults a passenger or causes a crash, the company can be held liable for failing to protect the public.

H.R. 8870 threatens to dismantle these vital safety incentives. The bill as currently written would provide rideshare companies with immunity from any injury, sexual assault, and fatality case no matter the red flags from any criminal background check, motor vehicle background check, customer complaint, safety test, or internal complaint. Moreover, it expressly preempts State law. Though a rideshare company would still have to follow local laws regarding background checks, it would be immune from liability if it chose to ignore red flags in the background check.

Our constituents deserve better. Drivers trying to earn a living and riders who want to get to their next destination all deserve a safe ride – and the ability to be made whole if they are injured along the way.

The Build America 250 Act must be amended, and this provision stripped, before it is considered on the House Floor.

Sincerely,

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Issues: 119th Congress, Transportation and Infrastructure