Larson Statement on No Kings Day in America

Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) released the following statement on No Kings Day in the United States of America.

In Washington, House Republicans kept Congress in session to pass a bill approving more funding for ICEand reject a Democratic plan to fund TSA, the Coast Guard, and FEMA that was unanimously approved by the Senate. Rep. Larson has called for disbanding ICE and is championing legislation in Congress to require federal agents to identify themselves; bar ICE raids in schools, hospitals, courthouses, and places of worship; ban abusive tactics including chokeholds; and redirect ICE funding from the Republican budget to lower health care premiums and expand affordable housing.

"At a moment when our democratic institutions are being tested, it is more important than ever for all of us to be engaged in the fight to protect our cherished values as Americans," said Larson. "Today, we are here to say THERE ARE NO KINGS IN AMERICA. We have been rejecting kings since 1776 and that's not going to change now. Senator Chris Murphy said it best on the Senate floor: 'The authoritarian takeover isn't coming. It's here.' We're in the middle of it, but it's not too late for everybody to see it and for us to stop it. If we the people remain united and continue to speak up, we will not be defeated.

"Today, we must confront the dangerous misuse of power we are witnessing across this country. We have seen masked, armed ICE agents deployed in our communities and now at our airports with guns and masks. This is not the America we know. Here in Connecticut, we saw his tactics up close when mothers were snatched from their children by masked ICE agents in Newington and Southington this past summer. Kristi Noem may be gone, but ICE is still running around with no restraints. They need to be disbanded, and we need to divert their funding to the issues keeping families up at night, like lowering health care costs and expanding affordable housing!

"ICE is not just a threat in our communities - they are threatening our elections. Trump's cronies like Steve Bannon have said ICE will 'surround the polls' in November. We won't let that happen! I have been working at the state and federal level to prohibit ICE from be deployed to our polling places. Trump is also demanding Congress pass his Jim Crow-era SAVE America Act. This bill does nothing to 'save America.' It is all about restricting your right to vote. I won't let Trump and Republicans make it harder for married women, deployed servicemembers, students, and Native Americans to vote - because he wants to rig the next elections! I proudly voted against this attack on your rights in the House. Let me be clear - I will always vote against attempts to silence Americans and undermine our Constitution. It starts with 'We the People' for a reason!

"Not only is Trump waging war in our streets and threatening our democracy, he has launched a dangerous and illegal war in Iran, without approval from anyone! We have seen this playbook before. The last thing Americans want is another costly conflict in the Middle East that sends our troops into harm's war. That's why I voted against the Iraq War in 2002 and am opposed to Trump's Iran War. I voted to withdraw our troops from Iran, but Republicans sided with Trump. Trump must stop this war before more servicemembers lose their lives. We're already seeing gas prices skyrocket because of the instability this war has caused. We will make Trump come before Congress to answer for this war, and we will hold him to account.

"While these threats grow, working families are being asked to bear the burden. Too many families are struggling to make ends meet, but he wants another $200 billion for his war! The Trump Administration is making it even harder by imposing more illegal tariffs, raising costs, while kicking 15 million people off their health care to hand more tax breaks to their ultra-wealthy friends.

"While Trump raises your costs and guts access to care, he is also having his 'DOGE' minions comb through your personal data at Social Security. We even learned that 'DOGE' put your information - including home addresses and Social Security numbers - in an unsecured cloud. They tried to give it to a group working to overturn elections and took data for personal use on a thumb drive. They've already cut more than 7,000 workers at Social Security, closed regional offices, and even tried to slash phone services, so you can't reach a human being on the other line! They want to break the system from within in an attempt to privatize Social Security and hand your money over to Wall Street! We're fighting for answers and I won't give up. When Democrats are back in the majority, bringing 'DOGE' and Elon and the whistleblowers forward and subpoenaing information will be my first order of business. You can count on it!

"I will not stop fighting for you. Together, we will push back against these attacks against our democracy and against working families. Donald Trump can try to tear us apart, but he will not succeed. Because when we stand united and speak with one voice, we send a message that cannot be ignored: THERE ARE NO KINGS IN AMERICA," Larson concluded.