Rep. Garamendi, Espaillat and 70 Democrats Call for Investigation of ICE, DHS Warrantless Purchases of Americans’ Location Data

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-NY, and 70 Democratic lawmakers called for a new investigation of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), over warrantless purchases of Americans’ location data. 

The members called on DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari to investigate ICE and other DHS agencies restarting warrantless purchases of Americans’ location data. The DHS Inspector General previously found that ICE’s data purchases were illegal, causing the program to shut down in 2023. 

“Location data is extremely sensitive, and can reveal someone’s religion, their political views, medical conditions, addictions, and with whom they spend time. It is for that reason that ordinarily, the government must obtain a warrant from a judge in order to demand such data from phone or technology companies,” the members wrote to DHS Inspector Cuffari. 

“Given DHS’ failure to adopt a policy for the use of commercial data, coupled with ICE awarding a no-bid contract to a shady data broker that is likely violating federal law, we urge you to open another investigation into the purchase and use of location data by ICE and other DHS components,” the members continued. 

ICE issued a no-bid contract to the surveillance company Penlink in 2025, which included licenses for its location tracking product, Webloc, according to a report by 404 Media. Webloc was developed by the controversial surveillance company Cobwebs Technologies, which combined with Penlink in 2023. Meta banned Cobwebs in 2021, as part of a crackdown on surveillance mercenaries after detecting the company’s customers targeting activists, opposition politicians and government officials in Hong Kong and Mexico. 

ICE has stonewalled congressional oversight of its location data purchases. Senator Wyden’s office requested a briefing from ICE soon after this contract was reported in October 2025. In December 2025, a briefing was scheduled for February 10, 2026. One day before that briefing was to take place, ICE cancelled it with no explanation and without any offer to reschedule. 

The letter is signed by Senators Alex Padilla, Calif., Richard Blumenthal, Conn., Andy Kim, N.J., Chris Van Hollen, Md., Adam Schiff, Calif., Brian Schatz, Hawaii, Raphael Warnock, Ga., Angela Alsobrooks, Md., Peter Welch, Vt., Ben Ray Luján, N.M., Cory Booker, N.J., Jeff Merkley, Ore., Edward J. Markey, Mass., Elizabeth Warren, Mass., and Tammy Duckworth, Ill. 

It is also signed by Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, N.Y., Pramila Jayapal, Wash., Joaquin Castro, Texas, Greg Casar, Texas, Jim McGovern, Mass., Sara Jacobs, Calif., Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ill., Yvette Clarke, N.Y., Grace Meng, N.Y., Shontel Brown, Ohio, André Carson, Ind., Ro Khanna, Calif., Nydia Velázquez, N.Y. , Robin Kelly, Ill., Zoe Lofgren, Calif., Mary Gay Scanlon, Pa., Veronica Escobar, Texas, Paul Tonko, N.Y., Jimmy Gomez, Calif., Lori Trahan, Mass., Rashida Tlaib, Mich., Nanette Barragán, Calif., Lateefah Simon, Calif., Jesús García, Ill., Stephen Lynch, Mass., Juan Vargas, Calif., Lloyd Doggett, Texas, Eleanor Norton, D.C., Norma Torres Calif., Madeleine Dean, Pa., Doris Matsui, Calif., Suzanne Bonamici, Ore., Maxine Dexter, Ore., Andrea Salinas, Ore., Luz Rivas Calif., Ritchie Torres, N.Y., Dan Goldman, N.Y., Adelita Grijalva, Ariz., Robert Menendez, N.J., Delia Ramirez, Ill., Mike Quigley, Ill., Richard Neal, Mass., Becca Balint, Vt., Darren Soto, Fla., Mark Takano, Calif., Linda Sánchez, Calif., Jasmine Crockett. Texas, Sylvia Garcia, Texas, Seth Moulton, Mass., Kelly Morrison, Minn., Eric Swalwell, Calif., and Mike Levin, Calif. 

Rep. Green: Briefing Showed No Imminent Threat to U.S. Before War; Will Back War Powers Resolution

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Al Green (TX-9)

(Washington, D.C.) — On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, Congressman Al Green delivered remarks on the House floor during one-minute speeches following his attendance at a classified briefing that showed there was no imminent threat to the United States before the war. Congressman Green also stated that he intends to vote in support of the War Powers Resolution.

You can access and listen to Congressman Al Green’s speech on his official YouTube page or by clicking here. The floor speech highlighted is also accessible on various social media platforms, including Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly known as Twitter). 

Congresswoman McCollum to Vote Yes on Resolution Reining in War Powes

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on the bipartisan Massie-Khanna War Powers Act (H.Con.Res.38), directing the President to remove United States Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Congresswoman McCollum, the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, will vote yes on the resolution, ending the President’s illegal war, citing the urgent need for Congress to reassert its authority over the power to declare war.

“President Trump has taken our nation to war in violation of the War Powers Act and the Constitution,” said Congresswoman McCollum. “President Trump knows his actions are unconstitutional, because the administration’s own justification for this unlawful war shifts by the hour. Passing this War Powers resolution is essential to reining in the unlawful actions of this president. Every Member of Congress must state on the record whether they support the president’s actions.

“Already, the lives of six American service members have been lost, including a fellow Minnesotan, Sergeant First Class Nicole M. Amor of White Bear Lake. Their service to our nation will never be forgotten. We pray for their families, for the safety of all our men and women in uniform serving overseas, and for those in the region who now find themselves in danger because of President Trump’s reckless, unlawful, and unnecessary decision to go to war.”

Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs Considers Cole Legislation

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: Olivia Porcaro 202-225-6165

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) attended the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs hearing as they considered his legislation, H.R. 2827. After speaking at the hearing, Congressman Cole released the following statement: 

“As a proud member of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma and the longest serving Native American in the House, I am resolute in my commitment to ensure tribal issues are heard in this chamber. That commitment is what brought me to advocate for the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma in the Subcommittee hearing today,” said Congressman Cole.

“H.R. 2827 is a straight-forward, bipartisan piece of legislation. It simply resolves the claim to certain land exclusively for the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma without setting any new precedent,” said Congressman Cole.

“I would like to thank Chairman Westerman, Chairman Hurd, Ranking Member Huffman, and Ranking Member Leger-Fernandez for their time and consideration. I really do appreciate their efforts to help move this much-needed bill through the legislative process,” said Congressman Cole.

Background:

In 1805, the Miami Tribe, Eel River Band, and Wea signed the Treaty of Grouseland, which under Article Four reserved all lands within the Wabash River watershed and land located west of the Wabash River, which is in present-day Illinois. Specifically in Article Four of this Treaty, the U.S. acknowledged ownership of this land and agreed not to purchase any part without consent of each of the aforementioned tribes. This key part of the Treaty is why Congress has the sole authority, at the request of the tribes, to extinguish any claims to the land.

Then, from 1805 to 1840, the U.S. transferred 2.6 million acres of land to non-native settlers in the area without having acquired title from the Miami, Eel River Band, and Wea under Article Four of the Grouseland Treaty. As a result, title to that land is still held by the Miami Tribe’s superior claim to title and the tribe never consented to that land being purchased. This has caused difficulties for landowners and farmers in Illinois in conducting certain operations or sales of this land.

Now, ever since the Indian Claims Commission’s adjustment in 1978, pending documents have been transferred to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims to handle cases on unresolved Indian land claims. However, Congress is the only entity that can authorize the Court of Federal Claims to hear, determine, and render judgement on a tribe’s claim.
H.R. 2827 does just that by authorizing the Miami Tribe’s authority to bring their claim forward and relinquishes all claims to the land. There is no monetary compensation included, as it simply allows the tribe to have their day in court.

To read the bill text, click here.

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Congressman Cohen Questions DHS Secretary Noem about her Claim to be Deporting “the Worst of the Worst”

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

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today questioned Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at an oversight hearing. Congressman Cohen asked Secretary Noem about her lack of response to repeated letters he has written to her over the past year and about claims that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are deporting the “worst of the worst.”

In his exchange with the Secretary, Congressman Cohen said in part:

“This gives me the opportunity to show you the eight letters I’ve sent you in the last year…and gives me the opportunity to ask you the questions and try to get answers. One of the things you’re most famous for is quote ‘we’re going after the worst of the worst’ – the murderers, pedophiles, the rapists, et cetera. In my letters, I said I agree with you: People who are in this country illegally or not citizens and commit those crimes should be deported. The facts show that most of the people you stopped and tried to deport have not committed those crimes. In fact, they’ve committed no crimes at all…

“Why do you continue to talk about the ‘worst of the worst’ when all the statistics show you’re not stopping the worst of the worst?…

“Go after the worst of the worst and, if you did, people wouldn’t find your department the worst department in the United States of America.”

Congressman Cohen also asked Secretary Noem about recent allegations that ICE agent training includes “secretive orders” that they violate the law. He also asked whether any of the January 6 insurrectionists have been hired by her department.

See the entire exchange here.

Congressman Cohen has previously called for Secretary Noem to resign, be fired, or face impeachment proceedings. 

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Aderholt Highlights Testimony from Two Alabama Leaders at Community Colleges Hearing

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)

WASHINGTON — Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) today chaired a hearing on the role of community colleges in preparing students for the workforce and strengthening local economies. The hearing included testimony from two leaders from North Alabama: Shawn Morgan of Bevill State Community College in Jasper and Dr. Patricia Sims, president of J.F. Drake State Community & Technical College in Huntsville.

Morgan, who serves as vice president of workforce and strategy initiatives at Bevill State Community College in Jasper in Alabama’s Fourth Congressional District, discussed how community colleges partner with local industries to ensure students receive hands-on training that aligns with workforce needs.

“It was especially meaningful to have Mr. Morgan share how Bevill State is helping students in our region gain the skills they need for good-paying jobs,” Aderholt said. “Community colleges like Bevill State play a key role in strengthening workforce pipelines in rural communities.”

Dr. Sims also testified about workforce training programs and partnerships with employers at Drake State in Huntsville.

“Dr. Sims is doing outstanding work just outside our district in Huntsville, helping students gain the technical skills needed to succeed in today’s economy,” Aderholt said.

Aderholt noted during the hearing that community college enrollment is rising as more Americans seek faster and more affordable pathways into the workforce.

Video of the testimony from Shawn Morgan and Dr. Patricia Sims is available on YouTube for those who wish to watch their full remarks before the subcommittee.

Rep. Gregory Meeks and USPS Honor Muhammad Ali with Stamp Unveiling Ceremony

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

QUEENS, NY – U.S. Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) and the United States Postal Service (USPS) are recognizing an iconic American heavyweight boxer, activist and philanthropist also known as “The Greatest,” of all time Muhammad Ali during a stamp unveiling ceremony in Southeast Queens. The event happened on Tuesday, March 3, 10 a.m. to noon ET at the Robert Ross Johnson Family Life in Jamaica, NY. 

“Muhammad Ali was more than a boxing champion,” Rep. Meeks said. “He was a historic figure who transformed sports and influenced culture worldwide. As a decorated heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist, Ali achieved extraordinary success in the ring. Outside of it, he was a staunch advocate for justice and equality. Ali is a true representation of an American hero showing courage and determination. This unveiling ceremony is a meaningful gesture to honor his remarkable accomplishments and profound impact on American history.”

More than 150 people attended the event, and over 6,000 Muhammad Ali stamps were purchased. 

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Speaker Johnson: Peace Isn’t Secured Through Appeasement or Pallets of Cash, Peace Is Secured Through Strength

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — This morning, at the weekly House Republican Leadership press conference, Speaker Johnson discussed the early success of Operation Epic Fury and stressed the need for Congress to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security amid warnings of lone wolf and sleeper cell attacks on the homeland.

“As members of this body, our first and most basic duty is to ensure the safety of American citizens; maybe that’s why [Democrats] sat through that line at the State of the Union. They’re more interested in protecting illegal aliens. They see that as their first responsibility. There’s no other way to explain this,” Speaker Johnson said. “If they ever want to correct the impression that their party prioritizes the welfare of illegal aliens over the welfare of American citizens, tomorrow would be a great place to start.”

Watch Speaker Johnson’s press conference remarks here.

On Operation Epic Fury:

We’re 4 days in so far on Operation Epic Fury. It’s been limited, precise, and extremely lethal. It’s been a remarkable success thus far as recounted as recently as the last couple of hours by those leaders I mentioned. The early results are very encouraging. Iran’s naval fleet is degraded – that was the first part of the mission, or at least the second part. The first part was the missiles, and its missile facilities in Iran and the stockpiles have severely depleted. Its former Ayatollah, the mastermind behind decades of terrorist violence, recounted by Chairman Mast and all of us over the last several days, he is now deceased.

The administration has detailed its rationale behind the operation and it bears repeating: The largest state sponsor of terrorism – Iran and its proxies – have killed more Americans than any other terrorist regime on Earth. They are dedicated to it. They have been and they say the quiet parts out loud. They wanted to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth and they would like to take us out as well. We’re the “Great Satan” in their analogy, in their misguided religion, and there was no way to appease them.

In defiance of every American president since Jimmy Carter, the Iranian regime has pursued the means to acquire a nuclear weapon so that they could take that madness and that ideology to its full conclusion. Everyone, regardless of political affiliation, should be able to agree that that can never happen and should never happen. 

On President Trump securing peace through strength:

In short, the situation was untenable. We had our personnel, troops, citizens, installations, and assets in harm’s way, and through this operation, President Trump took decisive and defensive action to ensure the safety of our forces, our citizens, our allies, and our homeland. In my estimation, this course of action was necessary, lawful and effective, and reversing it now would weaken America. Congress has a constitutional right to exercise its oversight authority and we will, but we also have a duty and obligation not to undercut our own national security.

One last note: There is a misconception that Operation Epic Fury is in any way a diversion from Republican demands for peace. It’s the opposite. Peace is not secured through appeasement, and it’s certainly not secured by airdropping billions of dollars on terrorist regimes, which is what previous Democrat administrations have done. Peace is secured through strength. That is the principle that our party has stood for my entire life. That’s what this administration is demonstrating and that is why America is the last great superpower on the planet, and all freedom-loving people around the world are grateful to God for that. 

On the need to protect our homeland and fund DHS amid heightened threats:

We all remember that under Joe Biden, Democrats opened wide our nation’s borders for 4 catastrophic years. They allowed hundreds on the terrorist watch list across our border illegally and unwittingly. They released 2.2 million known gateways into the interior. We have no idea where so many of those individuals are. These are individuals who entered our country illegally. They were detected by law enforcement, and they evaded capture. We don’t know where they are, we don’t know what they’re doing, or what they’re plotting. And we pray that we can find them and apprehend them. Keep your head on a swivel.

CBP figures show that the number of Iranian nationals entering our country illegally rose precipitously under Joe Biden’s open borders policy. During that period at least 1,500 Iranians crossed the US border illegally and over 700 were released into the country. Now the 1,500 number is not an accurate assessment because we frankly have no idea because they weren’t even keeping track of so many of the people coming across, who evaded capture, and evaded notice because the border was wide open. So, we don’t know how many dangerous people are here – how many Iranians who believed in that ideology of the Ayatollah, who now is buried. Think about that. Over 1,500 Iranian nationals traveled multiple oceans to enter the U.S., not through legal ports of entry, but unlawfully at our border. It’s just a small sample of the mess we inherited from Democrats with their radical ideology, and the mess that President Trump and Republicans are working in earnest to clean up so we can save American lives and protect the homeland.

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Davids statement on Kansas ID Law

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

Today, Representative Sharice Davids issued the following statement in response to the Kansas legislature’s passage of Senate Bill 244, which prohibits transgender Kansans from changing the gender markers on government identification like driver’s licenses and invalidating those that were previously changed. 

“It’s extremely disappointing that instead of focusing on lowering costs and making life more affordable for Kansans, extremists in the state legislature have instead worked to make life harder for transgender Kansans and cost taxpayers more money. Taking away someone’s ID doesn’t make us safer; it actually undermines public safety and means people can’t go to work, drive to the grocery store, or take their kids to school. It’s an unnecessary, unfair, and harmful law attempting to score cheap political points.”

Scalise: Democrats Must End Reckless DHS Shutdown and Put Americans' Security First

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast (R-Fla.) to discuss President Trump’s leadership to prevent a nuclear Iran, honor service members who made the ultimate sacrifice, and warn that Democrats’ shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security is weakening America’s ability to respond to growing threats.

Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
On our brave troops defending American freedoms:“We all pray for our men and women in uniform who are carrying out this critically important mission. We mourn the six who have lost their lives just in the last few days, but we also recognize the threat that Iran has posed for decades. And Chairman Mast laid it out incredibly well. Chairman Mast, who himself served our country so honorably but understands that this is a threat that has declared war against America and carried out attack on top of attack on top of attack against our men and women in uniform. Hundreds of service members dead at the bloody hands of the Iranian regime, who is no longer with us because President Trump finally took the action that many other presidents have contemplated but ultimately decided to push off to somebody else. And President Trump is the leader, the commander in chief, who said, we are going to protect America against evil dictators who chant ‘Death to America.’”On the Iranian regime’s resolve to produce nuclear weapons:“By the way, when they’re enriching uranium at weapons-grade level, we ought to take them at their word because that was their intention. For years and years, they were rushing towards a nuclear weapon, and even after the Operation Midnight Hammer decimated parts of their nuclear weapons program, they still went back and started trying to rebuild a nuclear weapons program, continued enriching uranium. They were never going to stop, and it was crystal clear during the negotiations where Secretary of State Rubio did such an incredible job, as well as his team, trying to get a peaceful solution to this.“Iran made it clear they had no intention of reaching any kind of peaceful solution, and ultimately their intent was to kill Americans, as they have been for decades. And if you wonder what their resolve is, just look at the tens of thousands of their own people that they killed just in the last few months. And so we support President Trump in this important action. We pray for the safety of our troops who are carrying out this incredibly important mission and our allies in the region. And you can see more countries getting pulled in from even around the Middle East region.”On Democrats’ refusal to fund the Department of Homeland Security:“At the same time, we also recognize this is no time to have the Department of Homeland Security shut down and their ability to protect Americans limited. And who did that? Democrats in Congress, who weeks ago made a reckless decision to shut down the Department of Homeland Security. But now that we’re at a heightened threat, and it’s not just hypothetical threats, you could see what happened in Austin – a man with a ‘Property of Allah’ shirt killing Americans.“When we saw the open border of Joe Biden, we have been for years letting in people who want to do us harm, people on the terrorist watch list, people from Iran that could do us harm. We need to be more vigilant than ever and have a fully functioning Department of Homeland Security with all the capabilities, cyber capabilities, which right now are dramatically limited because of Democrats’ reckless and dangerous action to shut that department down. It is time for their dangerous games to end. Democrats need to vote with us tomorrow to reopen the Department of Homeland Security to make sure that our basic mission as members of Congress to keep Americans safe continues. And we’re going to give them that opportunity.”