Senator Blumenthal: Week in Review 10/17/2025-10/24/2025

Launching Probe into CBP & ICE's Detention of U.S. Citizens

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ranking Member of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, opened an inquiry into the increasing detention of U.S. citizens by federal immigration agents. In a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Blumenthal and Garcia demanded information and records from the agency following increasingly frequent reports of unconstitutional detentions of U.S. citizens by agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), often using disproportionate force.

"Since his inauguration, President Trump has embraced the use of federal immigration agents to terrorize communities nationwide whose politics he disfavors, a campaign that has increasingly ensnared U.S. citizens. It was reported last week that more than 170 U.S. citizens have been detained by federal immigration agents in the last nine months, a count that includes nearly 130 citizens arrested for allegedly assaulting or impeding officers (charges that often are dismissed or wilt under any scrutiny), and more than 50 citizens held after federal immigration agents questioned their citizenship," Blumenthal and Garcia wrote.

The full text of Blumenthal and Garcia's letter is available here.

Blumenthal highlighted his investigation with Garcia on Twitter/X, further calling out the Trump Administration for its inappropriately aggressive immigration tactics.

"I'm demanding answers about federal agents detaining U.S. citizens using police state immigration tactics. Joining with Representative Garcia, I hope to expose & stop such illegal detentions-part of Secy Noem's campaign to terrorize communities nationwide," wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Slamming Trump's Shutdown for Threatening Health Care & Social Safety Net Programs

President Trump and Congressional Republicans have shut down the government to prevent Democrats from ensuring health care costs don't spike, making it harder for families to afford basic necessities. Blumenthal joined advocates in Hartford to sound the alarm about how a prolonged government shutdown will affect Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

The Trump administration is warning states that there will be "insufficient funds" to pay full SNAP benefits if the government shutdown extends past October. Right now, SNAP is funded through October, meaning that if the shutdown persists into November there will be insufficient funds to pay for millions of Americans' SNAP benefits.

"Republicans have shut down the government," Blumenthal said. "I'm hopeful that the state will step into the breach, but families across Connecticut and the country face a food insecurity perfect storm with rising prices and diminished benefits, compounded by the challenges with health care that Republicans have imposed with a self-inflicted wound as a result of this government shutdown."

Blumenthal additionally highlighted the health care crisis created by the Republican shutdown. Congressional Republicans are refusing to negotiate with Democrats, who are committed to finding a solution to reopen the government while extending the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits and reversing cuts to critical health care programs.

"If it isn't addressed today, people won't know whether they can afford health insurance, and they won't buy it," Blumenthal said. "So our leverage here is that we will insist that the health care tax credit be extended."

Blumenthal further called out the Republican shutdown for threatening Americans' access to affordable health care and critical social safety net programs like SNAP on Twitter/X.

"A perfect storm of food insecurity is looming as SNAP benefits end this month, & prices of groceries, rent, electricity, health care & more skyrocket. Republicans could end the government shutdown now by agreeing to extend the health care tax subsidies," wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Fighting Unbridled Presidential Authority with the Insurrection Act

As President Trump continues his wrongful and dangerous deployment of National Guard troops into American cities, Blumenthal sought passage of his legislation that would limit the President's far-reaching authority under the centuries-old Insurrection Act. Senate Republicans blocked a unanimous consent request by Blumenthal to pass his legislation to reform the Insurrection Act that gives the President vast powers to deploy troops - either with or without the request of a state - to suppress "any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy."

When requesting unanimous consent to pass his legislation, Blumenthal cited President Trump's threats to invoke the Insurrection Act if legal challenges to his deployment of National Guard troops prevail: "The danger of the President invoking the Insurrection Act is no longer hypothetical or abstract. It is real. It's happening now. The President shows no signs of stopping deployments. They are becoming more widespread, not less. The President's threat to invoke the Insurrection Act is real. It has to be taken as real. And I believe the courts will continue to rule against him and that he may well use the Insurrection Act as a weapon to expand his deployments and turn these cities and states into armed camps and police states."

"We can protect our civil liberties, our communities, and our military by imposing these checks and balances in the Insurrection Act that I have submitted. It well serves the interests of our states, indeed our states' rights, our military, and the traditions and ethos of our great National Guard and active-duty military, and it serves the American people in preserving rights and liberties that our founders were zealous to protect," Blumenthal concluded.

Blumenthal first introduced legislation to restrict the President's authority under the Insurrection Act in 2020. The current law has been used sparingly by other presidents given the potential for the military to escalate tensions, rather than restore order, during a domestic crisis. More information about Blumenthal's legislation is available here.

A video of Blumenthal's remarks is available here.

Blumenthal further highlighted the need for his legislation reforming the Insurrection Act on Twitter/X.

"Trump's invoking the Insurrection Act- a real danger, no longer hypothetical or abstract. I demanded passage on the Senate floor of reforms to check his politically purposed domestic deployment of armed forces, potentially turning America into a military police state," wrote Blumenthal on Twitter/X.

Blumenthal also joined U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) as he held the Senate Floor to ring the alarm bells about the Trump Administration's authoritarian takeover of the country. Blumenthal and Merkley discussed President Trump's attempts to augment his power and authority and his invoking of the Insurrection Act.

"Thank you Senator Merkley for your leadership, fortitude, & determination as you hold the Senate Floor. I was proud to join you as you raise the alarm about Trump's authoritarianism & possible use of the Insurrection Act," wrote Blumenthal with an accompanying video on Twitter/X.

Blumenthal Bulletin

Blumenthal highlighted the SAFE Bet Act in the wake of the latest sports betting scandal.

Blumenthal pressed White House ballroom donors on terms of donation and potential deals made in exchange for contributions.

Blumenthal released a statement on the U.S. Treasury imposing sanctions on major Russian oil companies.

Blumenthal called on Government Accountability Office to investigate the impact of the Trump Administration's VA cuts on care for veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders.

Blumenthal slammed the demolition of the East Wing of the White House.

Blumenthal attended No Kings rallies in Hartford, New London, Willimantic, Granby, and Windsor.

-30-

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Tweet