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

Legislation Reaffirms That DHS, ICE, and CBP Agents Cannot Be Deployed at Election Sites

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif)

Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) secured over $15 million in community project funding for local projects across California’s 19^th Congressional district. This significant federal support will assist local initiatives, including improving public safety, bolstering infrastructure, creating community spaces, modernizing emergency communication systems, building affordable housing, and more.

“A significant part of my job is to ensure that the Congressional power of the purse is felt right here in our home,” said Rep. Panetta.  “Once again, I’m proud to have secured a significant amount of federal investment that will help improve the quality of life for people in California’s 19^th Congressional District. My work to obtain this type of funding is about making sure that the federal government plays its part in our local communities.” 

Rep. Panetta secured funding for 14 local projects that will directly benefit California’s 19th Congressional District. These projects include:

• $3,150,000 for the City of Santa Cruz’s Wharf Resilience and Rehabilitation Project which will demolish and retrofit a section of the Santa Cruz Wharf that has sustained significant damage from storms.
• $850,000 for the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission’s Boulder Creek Complete Streets Improvement project, to support the construction of sidewalks, curb extensions, center median islands and other traffic calming infrastructure, bike lanes, and transit stop enhancements within Boulder Creek.
• $1,000,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County to construct a new 7,500 sq ft youth center, which will serve an estimated 400 youth per year, with an average daily attendance of 150 kids and teens, via after school and out-of-school time programs that offer academic support, art, fun physical activities, music, cooking classes, and more.
• $682,000 for the City of Scotts Valley’s Public Safety Answering Point Radio Equipment Project, to purchase a dual analog digital encrypted radio (P25) system for the Scotts Valley Police Department to replace their current outdated radio equipment.
• $250,000 for the City of Capitola’s Traffic Safety Project, to support the construction of a modern roundabout at the intersection of Bay Avenue and Hill Street in Capitola, California. The project is part of a broader corridor improvement effort focused on three key intersections along Bay Avenue.
• $1,920,000 for the City of Monterey to make critical repairs to the Monterey Wharf, including repairs to restore structural load-bearing capacity, ensuring continued use, economic support for fishing operations, and public safety.
• $850,000 for the City of Seaside’s San Pablo Bridge Project, to support two phases of the San Pablo Pedestrian Bridge’s demolition and reconstruction.
• $2,000,000 for the City of San Jose’s Yerba Buena Bridge Construction project, which will support the development of construction plans, project management, permitting, inspection services, environmental monitoring, demolition, construction, and improvements to the existing hillside.
• $1,000,000 for the City of San Jose’s Guadalupe River Trail Construction from Branham to Chynoweth Project, which will construct the next segment of the Guadalupe River Trail, connecting to the existing alignment that travels from Lake Almaden Park north to Chynoweth Avenue. The new segment would include 0.54 miles from Chynoweth Avenue north to Branham Lane.
• $500,000 for the City of San Jose’s Ending Sideshows in South San Jose project, to upgrade the intersections of Ruby/Tully, Quimby/Murillo, and Aborn/Voltaire to add hardscape features to minimize maintenance requirements, beautify the area, and continue to deter sideshows.
• $250,000 for the County of Santa Clara’s Martial Cottle Park Improvements Project, to support the implementation of Phase 1 of the 31-acre Historic Ranch Site Plan. The complete plan includes a combination of site and utility improvements, existing building/structure reuse, existing building/structure stabilization, and new building/structure construction.
• $935,000 for the Cambria Community Services District’s Fire Apparatus Replacement, which will support the acquisition of a new frontline fire engine.
• $850,000 for the City of Atascadero to make improvement to the Atascadero Police Station, which will provide safety and security improvements, create crime scene investigation offices and associated storage space, and upgrades and dedicated space for dispatch, patrol, investigations, records, and administration.
• $850,000 for the City of Paso Robles’ Pine Street Affordable Housing project, to support the purchase and subsequent conveying of approximately one acre of property to the Paso Robles Housing Authority to construct at least 30 affordable housing units.

The federal funding announced today is what Rep. Panetta worked for to be included in the most recent appropriations package.

In the 116th Congress, legislation was signed into law that brought back the process to allow U.S. Representatives and Senators to request and secure federal funds for programs and places that matter most to their districts and states. The projects that Rep. Panetta fights for address clear and present needs in California’s 19th Congressional District and represent his commitment to ensuring that the federal government plays its part in our communities.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata took part in the 74th National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday morning, and participated in the opening singing by the bipartisan House of Representatives Choir.

Prayer Breakfast Members Choir with Congresswoman Amata near the center podium

“In American Samoa we believe in the power of prayer and we are blessed with a strong and beautiful tradition of faith,” said Congresswoman Amata. “Scripture invites us to pray for our leaders in order for them to make wise decisions for the flourishing of our people, as well as to express our grateful hearts for all of God’s goodness.”

The National Prayer Breakfast is a yearly bipartisan tradition, which gained national attention in 1953 when President Eisenhower attended at the suggestion of famous evangelist Billy Graham. President Eisenhower gave remarks, and presidents of both parties have carried on the tradition. President Trump attended and spoke this time.

Bipartisan Co-Chairmen were Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-IL) and Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA). Organized by the National Prayer Breakfast Foundation, the gathering encourages “the spirit of love and reconciliation as Jesus of Nazareth taught 2,000 years ago.” The Foundation is led by Chairman J.C. Watts, and years ago, Congresswoman Amata was employed by then-Congressman Watts.

Each year, prayers are led by respected clergy and others. They express thanks and pray for the country and its leaders, for wisdom in decisions, for peace, for the nation’s Service Members and their protection.

“I’ve enjoyed attending the National Prayer Breakfast most of the years that I’ve been in Congress,” continued Aumua Amata. “It’s a good reminder of what is most important about public service.”

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

“You’ve had nine months to think about it, and while you’ve been thinking about it, working families have been struggling when it is required by law that they have many of these essential baby products.”

“Black families, Black futures, and the lives and livelihoods of all who call this country home are depending on you to act.”

Pressley Has Repeatedly Sounded the Alarm on Pushout of Black Women from Workforce Under Trump, Demanded Action from Federal Reserve

Nine Months Ago, After Pressure from Pressley, Treasury and Trump Said Exemption Was “Under Consideration”

Video (YouTube)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – During yesterday’s House Financial Services Committee hearing, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) demanded Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent take immediate action for working families—urging he address the alarming rates of Black workers’ unemployment, as well as calling on him to commit to his prior support of exempting baby products from Trump’s tariffs. 

Nine months ago, following Rep. Pressley’s questioning, Secretary Bessent conceded the Treasury Department would consider exempting essential baby care products from tariffs, which was later reaffirmed by President Trump.

Rep. Pressley has repeatedly sounded the alarm on the rising number of Black women forced out of the workforce in the United States, called on the Federal Reserve to take action, and convened impacted women and economists to renew those calls. The Federal Reserve responded to the Congresswoman’s letter in October, and Rep. Pressley pushed for further action demanding a briefing for members of the Congressional Black Caucus on how the Fed is responding to this crisis.

A transcript of Congresswoman Pressley’s remarks at the press conference is available below, and the video is available here.

Transcript: Pressley Demands Treasury Sec. Bessent Address Alarming Black Unemployment Crisis, Exempt Baby Products from Trump’s Tariffs
House Financial Services Committee
February 4, 2026

REP. AYANNA PRESSLEY: Mr. Secretary, it took a year to get Secretary Turner before this committee. So, I’m grateful for your return. 

And I want to pick up where we left off nine months ago. 

The average American spends over $20,000 on baby costs in the first year of having a baby.

Essential products like car seats are more expensive because of Trump tariffs.

You told me last time that they were under consideration, but nothing has changed since May of last year, much to the distress of families.

There is still no exemption for tariffs on baby products. 

For the record, Mr. Secretary, how many tariff exemptions are there? 

SECRETARY BESSENT: There are actually very few now.

REP. PRESSLEY: You’re right.

Actually, I think there’s some 30 pages of exemptions totaling over 1,000, including for asbestos.

Can you explain to families across America—working families struggling to make ends meet—why baby products that are required by law are not exempt from Trump’s tariffs?

SEC. BESSENT: Again, Congresswoman the, it is a matrix, and many of these products unfortunately are made in China. And every…

REP. PRESSLEY: Mr. Secretary, reclaiming my time. It’s just, it’s an unacceptable answer. 

You’ve had nine months.

You told me it was under consideration.

You’ve had nine months to think about it, and while you’ve been thinking about it, working families have been struggling when it is required by law that they have many of these essential baby products.

Your report from the Department of Treasury refers to them, car seats as essential safety tools.

So, if you can acknowledge that…

SEC. BESSENT: I will acknowledge the gas to run the car. 

REP. PRESSLEY: Well, listen, you’ve included asbestos in your exemptions.

So, you’re telling me you can do asbestos and not baby products.

SEC. BESSENT: I think you would want children to be safe in their homes.

REP. PRESSLEY: Mr. Secretary, parents with newborns don’t want to hear your excuses.

They need to keep their babies safe.

They want to comply with the law, and they need action to lower costs, period.

So, will you exempt baby products from tariffs, yes or no?

SEC. BESSENT: Again, we will look into it.

REP. PRESSLEY: Mr. Secretary, respectfully, yes or no?

SEC. BESSENT: Congresswoman, I am the Treasury Secretary. I am not the USTR, I am not the President of the United States.

REP. PRESSLEY: Reclaiming my time. Mr. Secretary, you’re taking my time.

SEC. BESSENT: This is financial stability oversight council. 

REP. PRESSLEY: Mr. Secretary, then I ask for your advocacy then because a no or a non-answer is unacceptable to the working families you claim to care so much about.

Moving on, moving on, moving on, moving on.

FSC CHAIRMAN: It’s the gentlelady’s time.

SEC. BESSENT: I’m agreeing with you, you will have my advocacy.

REP. PRESSLEY: Okay, thank you. Can you say that again for the record.

SEC. BESSENT: Sorry.

REP. PRESSLEY: Can you say that again? I will have your advocacy?

SEC. BESSENT: I am one voice.

REP. PRESSLEY: For an exemption? 

SEC. BESSENT: I am one voice.

REP. PRESSLEY: Okay. Have you been paying attention to the high rate of unemployment for Black workers? Are you aware of that? The high unemployment rate for Black workers?

SEC. BESSENT: It is traditionally higher than for all workers.

REP. PRESSLEY: Well, listen, no. It’s through the roof right now.

There are hundreds of thousands of Black workers that have been pushed out of the workforce, and the unemployment rates for Black workers and all workers are among the highest they’ve been since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Black workers contribute over a trillion dollars to the US economy, but the pushout of these workers from the workforce has led to a loss of $37 billion in the GDP.

With Black women being among—just so y’all know—the most educated and most active in seeking work, their pushout is a glaring warning sign for where our economy is headed, because Black workers, Black women in particular, have always been the canaries in the coal mine.

So, this is a problem for everyone.

Black women are bearing the brunt, but everyone will feel this hurt.

I have led letters to Fed Chair Powell calling for action to be taken.

He is also a member of FSOC.

So, I want to ask you, Mr. Secretary, will you commit to analyzing Black unemployment rates specifically and its impacts on financial stability? Yes or no?

SEC. BESSENT: I will analyze Black unemployment rates.

REP. PRESSLEY: Wonderful. And when will you get us a report and a plan of action? I was thinking March 6^th.

SEC. BESSENT: I can’t commit to a date.

REP. PRESSLEY: Okay, alright. Well, I think March 6^th makes sense.

That’d give you over a month, which is more than enough time to convene that working group and to report out your findings.

I know you already have the infrastructure to do that.

So, at the end of the day, Black families, Black futures, and the lives and livelihoods of all who call this country home are depending on you to act.

And with that, Happy Black History Month.

I yield back. 

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

“This trend of de-legalizing, legal immigrant workers will not make Americans safer. It will simply leave our communities with fewer options for quality, affordable care”

Text of Letter

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), along with Representatives Diana DeGette (CO-01), Robin Kelly (IL-02), and Deborah Ross (NC-02) led 52 members of Congress in writing to LeadingAge, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, National Nurses United, MASS Senior Care Association, and The Arc of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Nurses Association, SEIU 509, and the Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers, asking them to share how the end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for people from Haiti would affect the health care, elder care, and disability care workforce and patients. 

“We are gravely concerned that the end of TPS for Haiti will threaten access to health care, elder care, and disability care for American families,” wrote the lawmakers. 

To date, about 1.5 million people on TPS have been stripped of legal immigrant status by the Trump administration. The termination of TPS for Haiti—scheduled for February 3, 2026—will affect over 300,000 Haitians residing legally in the United States. 

Haitian immigrants are heavily represented in the U.S. health care workforce. In hospitals, nursing homes, and home-care settings around the country, many Haitians on TPS perform vital care-related services, including bathing, dressing, feeding, and transferring patients, which allows older adults and people with disabilities to live with dignity.

Experts have warned that TPS terminations will contribute to “serious disrupt[ions]” of “health care facilities, which already struggle to hire enough workers.” Care facilities have already lost or are preparing to lose critical Haitian immigrant workers due to President Trump’s immigration policy changes. For example: in 2025, an elder care facility in Florida had to fire dozens of Haitian employees who represented almost 10 percent of the staff;  a Boston hospital that relies heavily on Haitian Certified Nursing Assistants is bracing for staffing shortages; and a senior housing and health care facility in Virginia was forced to lay off Haitian employees and then struggled to fill their roles.

“This trend of de-legalizing legal immigrant workers will not make Americans safer. It will simply leave our communities with fewer options for quality, affordable care,” wrote the lawmakers.

The lawmakers asked the organizations to provide data and stories about the impact of the TPS termination on the health care workforce and patients by February 17, 2026. 

Senators Cory Booker Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), along with Representatives Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio), Wesley Bell (D-Mo.), Shontel Brown (D-Ohio), André Carson (D-Ind.), Sean Casten (D-Ill.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Danny Davis (D-Ill.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), Shomari Figures (D-Ala.), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Al Green (D-Texas), Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Jonathan L. Jackson (D-Ill.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Bill Keating (D-Mass.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Sarah McBride (D-Dele.), Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), and Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) joined in signing the letter. 

This week, Rep. Pressley applauded a federal judge’s ruling to temporarily block Trump’s move to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians. Ending TPS for Haitians would leave over 350,000 Haitian nationals at risk of deportation, many of whom reside in the Massachusetts 7th congressional district.

As Representative for the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District, Congresswoman Pressley serves as Co-Chair for the House Haiti Caucus and represents one of the largest Haitian diaspora communities in the country.

• On January 22, 2026, Rep. Pressley organized a press conference in D.C. to sound the alarm on the harm of terminating TPS for Haiti on seniors and the U.S. care economy. 
• On January 20, 2026, Rep. Pressley and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) held a field hearing on the importance of extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.

• On June 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley condemned the Trump Administration’s abominable termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
• On June 5, 2025, Rep. Pressley and Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) condemned Donald Trump’s executive order that bans citizens of 12 countries, including Haiti, from traveling to the United States, and places partial restrictions on citizens of seven more nations.
• On March 18, 2025, Rep. Pressley, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) led 62 of their colleagues in the House and 23 of their colleagues in the Senate in a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanding the Trump Administration redesignate and extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, which the administration recently canceled on questionable legal authority:
• On February 20, 2025, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
• On November 14, 2024, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning violence in Haiti and calling on the Biden Administration to halt all deportations to Haiti.
• On September 25, 2024, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning the false and dangerous lies about Haitian, Latino, and Asian immigrants.
• On September 20, 2024, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs joined colleagues and advocates at a press conference to stand in solidarity with Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio and across America, and to demand accountability for the harmful and false narratives perpetuated by Republicans.
• On June 28, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the Biden-Harris Administration’s extension and redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). 
• On April 23, 2024, Rep. Pressley, alongside Co-Chairs Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), led a group of 50 lawmakers urging the Biden Administration to redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), pause on deportations back to Haiti, extend humanitarian parole to any Haitians currently detained in Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s detention centers, end detention of Haitian migrants intercepted at sea, and provide additional humanitarian assistance for Haiti.
• On April 18, 2024, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs led a letter to House Ways and Means Committee leadership emphasizing support for the early renewal of the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) and the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Acts, commonly known as HOPE/HELP. 
• On April 12, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Haitian-led activists, organizations, and a directly impacted person in Haiti for a press call urging federal action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
• On March 27, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and her colleagues on the Massachusetts congressional delegation in urging the Biden Administration to expedite visa processing for Haitians, particularly  for relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.
• On March 18, Rep. Pressley, Senator Markey, and the House Haiti Caucus led 67 lawmakers on a letter urging the Biden Administration to extend TPS for Haiti and halt deportations.
• On March 12, 2024, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Cherfilus McCormick and Yvette Clarke issued a statement on the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
• On March 6, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the recent jailbreak and State of Emergency in Haiti.
• On December 8, 2023, Rep. Pressley and Congresswoman Yvette Clarke urged the U.S. Department of State to withdraw U.S. support for an armed foreign intervention in Haiti and encourage negotiations for a Haitian-led democratic political transition.
• On December 6, 2022, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the Biden Administration’s extension and re-designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
• On December 1, 2022, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Cori Bush, and Rep. Mondaire Jones led 14 of their colleagues on a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urging the Department to extend and redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
• In September 2022, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Velázquez led 54 of their colleagues on a letter calling on the Biden Administration to immediately halt deportations to Haiti and provide humanitarian parole protections for those seeking asylum. The lawmakers’ letter followed the Administration’s resumption of deportation flights to Haiti as thousands of Haitian migrants continue to await an opportunity to make an asylum claim at the border. 
• In September 2022, Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues on the House Oversight Committee in demanding answers regarding the inhumane treatment of migrants in Del Rio, Texas, by Border Patrol agents on horseback and pushing to Biden Administration to end the ongoing use and weaponization of Title 42.
• On August 17, 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Val Demings, Yvette Clarke, and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), called on President Biden to appoint a new Special Envoy to Haiti, a position that has remained unfilled since September 2021.
• On July 7, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Andy Levin (MI-09), Val Demings (FL-10) and Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) released a statement marking the one-year anniversary of the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.
• On May 31, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Reverend Dieufort Fleurissaint, chair of Haitian Americans United, published an op-ed in the Bay State Banner in which they called on the Biden administration to withdraw support for de facto ruler of Haiti, Ariel Henry, and instead support an inclusive, civil society-led process to restore stability and democracy on the island. 
• In April 2022, she joined her colleagues at a press conference reaffirming her support for President Biden’s decision to end Title 42. Full video of her remarks at the press conference is available here. Rep. Pressley applauded the Biden Administration’s end of Title 42 in a statement in April 2022.
• On May 26, 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with with Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Andy Levin (MI-09), Jim McGovern (MA-02), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24), led a letter to United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Power urging her to act to ensure food security in Haiti.
• On March 16, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Mondaire Jones called on Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky to fully end Title 42, cease deportations of people to Haiti and affirm their legal and fundamental human right to seek asylum.
• On February 16, 2022, Rep. Pressley joined Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and 100 House and Senate colleagues in urging President Biden to reverse inhumane immigration policies – such as Title 42, originally introduced under the Trump Administration – that continue to disproportionately harm Black migrants.
• On February 14, 2022, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), alongside Representatives Judy Chu (CA-27) and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), led 33 other House Democrats on a letter to Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, demanding answers about the agency’s justification for treating asylum seekers as a unique public health threat, how these expulsions are being coordinated, how asylum seekers being returned to dangerous situations are being cared for, and more.
• On February 14, 2022, Reps. Pressley, Judy Chu (CA-27), and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07) led 33 other House Democrats on a letter to CDC Director Walensky demanding answers about the agency’s justification for treating asylum seekers as a unique public health threat, how these expulsions are being coordinated, how asylum seekers being returned to dangerous situations are being cared for, and more. Days later, Rep. Pressley once again called on the Biden Administration to reverse the Title 42 Order and other anti-Black immigration policies.
• On January 12, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09), and Val Demings (FL-10) released a statement on the 12-year anniversary of the catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010.
• On November 21, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Senator Elizabeth Warren led the Massachusetts congressional delegation on a letter to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) calling on them to coordinate with the government agencies of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to assist newly arrived families from Haiti. 
• On October 18, 2021, Rep. Pressley, and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Val Demings (FL-10), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Andy Levin (MI-09) issued a statement following the kidnapping of American and Canadian missionaries in Haiti.
• On October 18, 2021, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the civil rights complaint filed by Haitian families demanding a federal investigation into the heinous actions perpetrated by federal officials at the border.
• On October 22, 2021, Rep. Pressley, along with Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Reps. Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), sent a letter to Troy A. Miller, the Acting Administrator of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), demanding a briefing and answers regarding press reports of the inhumane treatment of migrants in Del Rio, Texas, by Border Patrol agents on horseback. 
• On September 17, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07) led 52 of their colleagues calling on the Biden Administration to immediately halt deportations to Haiti and take urgent action to address the concerns of the Haitian Diaspora after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti.
• On August 14, 2021, Rep. Pressley Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09) and Val Demings (FL-10) and Mondaire Jones (NY-17) released a statement regarding the recent earthquake in Haiti.
• On July 14, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09) and Val Demings (FL-10) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas calling on him to take a series of steps to support the Haitian diaspora amid ongoing political turmoil in Haiti.
• In July 2021, the Reps. Pressley, Clarke, Demings and Levin issued a statement condemning the assassination of President Moïse and calling for swift and decisive action to bring political stability and peace to Haiti and the Haitian people.
• In May 2021, on Haitian Flag Day, Reps. Pressley, Levin, Clarke and Demings announced the formation of the House Haiti Caucus, a Congressional caucus dedicated to pursuing a just foreign policy that puts the needs and aspirations of the Haitian people first.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Alma Adams (12th District of North Carolina)

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Scott (GA-13)

WASHINGTON D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman David Scott (GA-13), sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) urging an immediate stay of removal for Georgia constituent and U.S. Army veteran Godfrey Wade and calling for his immigration case to be heard in court before any further enforcement action is taken.

Mr. Wade, who honorably served eight years in the United States Army, was arrested during a traffic stop on September 13, 2025, and transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody five days later. He was detained at Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, where he reportedly endured overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, including sleeping on the floor and being exposed to sewage. He went more than 55 days without a case agent or court appearance. Mr. Wade has since been transferred to a facility in Louisiana and placed on a flight manifest, putting him at imminent risk of removal from the United States.

“Mr. Wade’s continued detention has caused significant physical suffering, emotional distress, and profound disruption to his family and community,” said Congressman David Scott. “Despite repeated efforts to resolve this matter, DHS and ICE have refused to engage with me and my office or provide clarity on the status of his case. This lack of transparency and refusal to communicate with elective representatives is unacceptable and a continuation of the current administration’s destructive immigration efforts. Our immigration system should uphold due process and treat people with dignity, yet in this case it has failed Mr. Wade who has lived in this country for over 50 years, including several years honorably serving in the U.S. Army protecting us all. I will continue to speak out and take action until those principles are upheld.”

Georgia has been significantly impacted by recent ICE actions, with more than 28,7000 immigrants arrested statewide since January 2025. This letter urges DHS to allow Mr. Wade’s immigration case to proceed through the judicial system before any removal action is taken. His case reflects a broader national issue and underscores the urgent need for accountability, humanity, and respect for the rule of law within our immigration system.

Read the full letter HERE.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Dwight Evans (2nd District of Pennsylvania)

PHILADELPHIA (Feb. 5, 2026) – Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) recently released his State of the District report covering 2025, now available on his website, evans.house.gov. This report covers his 2025 accomplishments in constituent savings and his work in Congress for Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District.

Some highlights of the 12-page report include:

• $9.6 million returned to or saved for constituents in cases involving federal agencies such as the IRS, Social Security Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs. The 2025 figure brings Evans’ office’s total to more than $55.1 million returned to or saved for constituents during his time in Congress.
• His constituent advocacy, this past year, fighting to protect SNAP food assistance, for Head Start funding, against the GOP health care crisis, and more.
• Key legislation he introduced in 2025, including ‘poverty-busting’ legislation to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit – a bill that would benefit an estimated 14 million Americans, many of them workers who are currently taxed into or further into poverty.

“Time and time again, in my view, this Republican-controlled White House and Congress have shown they are not acting in the interests of working people,” Evans said. “Entering my final year in office, my priorities are unwavering. I will continue using a wide variety of tools to push back against Donald Trump and congressional Republicans’ backwards, extremist, and often unlawful agenda, fighting to protect our most vulnerable communities in Philadelphia and beyond against this agenda’s disastrous impacts.”

Evans represents the 3rd Congressional District, which includes Northwest and West Philadelphia and parts of North, South, Southwest and Center City Philadelphia. He serves on the influential House Ways and Means Committee, including its Subcommittee on Health. The committee oversees taxes, trade, Social Security and Medicare. 

Evans’ website is evans.house.gov and his social media handle is @RepDwightEvans on Youtube, Bluesky, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Threads.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Dwight Evans (2nd District of Pennsylvania)

WASHINGTON (Feb. 3, 2026) – Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) issued this statement today:

“In the wake of two Americans being brutally killed by ICE and CBP agents in Minnesota, and numerous other abuses in communities across our country, the Department of Homeland Security must undergo real accountability, change, and reforms. I don’t believe that would happen under the current bill.

“This Senate deal would fund the rest of the federal government for the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, while limiting funding for DHS to just two weeks as negotiations take place. However, that is not enough for me. 

“After over a year of empty promises, I believe we cannot trust promises of reform from the Trump-Vance administration. I first need to see much-needed guardrails and protections being put into law – and therefore will be voting no on this funding package when it comes to the House floor.”

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

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on NPR’s Morning Edition, where he made clear that Republicans need to join Democrats in demanding dramatic reforms at DHS to ensure agents do not continue brutalizing the American people.

STEVE INSKEEP: Leader Jeffries, welcome back.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Good morning. Great to be with you.

STEVE INSKEEP: Do the two parties agree broadly that you should restrict ICE in some way?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, Democrats have certainly articulated a position on behalf of the American people that taxpayer dollars should be used to make life more affordable for everyday Americans, not brutalize or kill them. We believe that immigration enforcement should be fair, it should be just and it should be humane. That is not what is taking place right now. ICE is completely and totally out of control and they need to be reined in, which is why we need dramatic reform at the Department of Homeland Security. And Republicans either are going to support those reforms, or they’ll make the decision that they want to shut down other aspects of DHS, like Coast Guard, like FEMA and like TSA, which would be very unfortunate.

STEVE INSKEEP: A useful point, just to note, that DHS seems to have its funding in place, or rather the immigration authorities have funding in place. Other parts of DHS would be affected here. I want to ask about one of your particular demands. You want agents to take off their masks. As a citizen, I very much understand the case for this. The agent works for me. I’m their employer. I pay their salary. They’re doing my business. They should identify themselves. And when they ask for my ID, I should require them to give their ID. But Republicans respond with this fear of doxing, that agents will be targeted. Do you believe that happens to agents, and can you offer any way to deal with their concern?

LEADER JEFFRIES: We want to make sure that ICE agents are conducting themselves like every other law enforcement agency in the country. And that is something that I think is consistent with who we are as Americans. Police officers don’t wear masks. County sheriffs don’t wear masks. And state troopers don’t wear masks. In fact, there’s no evidence that FBI agents wear masks. And so, this is a unique situation in terms of how ICE is conducting themselves, and part of the challenge is that it leads to a view amongst many Americans—I think, correctly—that these agents are behaving themselves with violent and brutal impunity, as opposed to being held to standards that are consistent with not using excessive force, not brutalizing people or, in some instances, not killing people in cold blood, as was the case with Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti.

STEVE INSKEEP: I look forward to this fall’s elections because we heard Claudia Grisales there say that both parties want to own this issue. Democrats would like to own this issue of immigration, which has been a big disadvantage for them in the past. But there’s a couple of parts here. One is don’t kill Americans, so I get that part of your message. But the thing that drew a lot of voters to President Trump on immigration in the first place was a feeling that they wanted border enforcement, a secure border. They didn’t want so many people without legal status getting in. Can Democrats, in seeking to get votes this fall, commit that they would take care of border security?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Yes, we want a safe, a strong and a secure border. We also want to make sure we recognize that we have a broken immigration system, and it should be fixed. But we want to fix it in a bipartisan, in a comprehensive manner, not a my-way-or-the-highway approach and certainly not allowing taxpayer dollars to be used to target law-abiding immigrants, to target—violently—everyday Americans or, in some cases, to actually kill, in cold blood, everyday Americans, horrifying people as we watch this happen in plain sight.

STEVE INSKEEP: But you would secure the border is what you’re saying. You would stand for that.

LEADER JEFFRIES: We absolutely believe that the border should be secure at all times. But that’s not what’s taking place right now. What we’re seeing is aggressive interior enforcement that’s inconsistent with the promises that Donald Trump made to the American people. He said that he was going to target violent felons. That is something that, as Democrats, we support, that the American people support, targeting violent felons who are here unlawfully. But what we’re seeing is that law-abiding immigrant families, in some cases a five-year-old boy with a Spider-Man backpack, have been targeted. And that, of course, is completely and totally unacceptable. And we know that the American people have correctly concluded that ICE has gone way too far, Donald Trump has gone way too far and this is not what people expected to see from this administration in this area based on their own promises to the American people.

STEVE INSKEEP: In about 20 seconds, how are you feeling about this fall’s elections for Congress?

LEADER JEFFRIES: House Democrats are going to work hard to lower the high cost of living, fix our broken healthcare system, combat corruption and make sure we take back control of the House of Representatives in the fall.

STEVE INSKEEP: Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives. Thanks, as always. Good to talk with you.

Full interview can be listened to here.

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