News & Politics August 11, 2025

Rep. Andrew Garbarino: Proud New Yorker Selected To Chair The House Homeland Security Committee

At a time when America faces a growing storm of threats—from foreign terrorists to domestic extremism, to cyberattacks and border insecurity—it’s more important than ever that the individual who leads our House Homeland Security Committee understands the stakes and the streets.

That’s why I’m proud to celebrate fellow Long Islander, Congressman Andrew Garbarino, as the new Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.

Andrew is more than a colleague; he’s a close friend and a fighter. I had the honor of serving with him on the committee, and I witnessed firsthand his tenacity, intellect, and deep commitment to keeping our nation safe. His elevation to Chairman will bring the common sense, security-first leadership that New Yorkers, and indeed all Americans, desperately want and need.

To understand why this matters, you must understand where we come from.

When we talk about the homeland security mission, we talk about a vision that was shaped by a New Yorker, Congressman Pete King. Representing parts of Long Island, Pete King was the first Republican to serve as Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security following its creation after 9/11. It wasn’t just a title for him—it was a mission, forged in the fire of tragedy and built on the promise that we would never let it happen again.

King brought a no-nonsense, bipartisan, and fearless approach to national security. He held hearings others were afraid to hold. He asked questions others dodged. And he never, ever forgot that the heartbeat of homeland security was not in the bureaucracy of government, but in the streets of our towns, the safety of our ports, and the training of our first responders.

Pete King made sure New York—America’s number one terrorist target—had a seat at the table. And now, thanks to Chairman Garbarino, we’re back in that seat.

For those of us who lived through 9/11 and served in the NYPD or FDNY, who’ve seen the devastating impact of terrorism up close, the phrase “Homeland Security” is not some abstract buzzword. It’s a solemn oath and obligation.

As a former NYPD detective and fire chief, I’ve lived that mission. And in Congress, I carried it forward.

That’s why I’m proud to have served on the Homeland Security Committee alongside Andrew Garbarino. Together, we fought to boost funding for Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grants, which provide critical resources to New York City and surrounding regions to prepare for and respond to terror threats. We’ve pushed to strengthen our defenses against cyber-attacks and foreign influence operations. We’ve supported our law enforcement officers and first responders with real tools—not rhetoric.

But the job isn’t done. The threats we face are evolving. Our response must evolve, too.

With Andrew as Chairman, we have someone in the driver’s seat who knows that the southern border is a national security crisis, not just an immigration issue. Someone who understands that New York’s transit systems, financial hubs, and cultural institutions remain high-value terror targets. Someone who believes—as I do—that homeland security starts with common sense and ends with action.

There’s something about being from Long Island that shapes how you approach public service. We come from working-class neighborhoods where people know what sacrifice looks like. Many of our constituents are cops, firefighters, EMTs, and veterans, people who wake up every day and put others first.

That’s what Andrew Garbarino represents. That’s what I represent. And that’s what Andrew’s committee must represent.

In Congress, I made it my mission to ensure that homeland security policy reflects the real needs of real Americans. I worked to cut through the red tape that delays emergency response funding. I fought for accountability in FEMA and DHS grant programs. And I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with my brothers and sisters in law enforcement to combat the rising tide of crime and anti-police rhetoric sweeping this country.

But one of the accomplishments I’m most proud of is the bipartisan legislation I introduced to protect U.S. critical infrastructure from foreign sabotage—a bill that was born out of real concerns from our utility workers, cyber analysts, and local emergency managers. Because homeland security isn’t a partisan issue. It’s an American issue.

Chairman Garbarino gets that. In fact, he embodies it.

Let’s be clear: our enemies are watching us. Iran is emboldened. China is engaged in cyberwarfare and economic espionage. The cartels are running operations that bleed across our border and into our communities. And domestic extremists—on both ends of the spectrum—continue to exploit political division and social media to sow chaos and division.

Meanwhile, our law enforcement agencies are underfunded, our immigration system is overwhelmed, and our emergency preparedness networks are stretched thin.

We need a leader at Homeland Security who won’t be afraid to call this what it is: a full-frontal assault on the American homeland.

Andrew Garbarino is that leader.

And now, more than ever, we need New York-style leadership: tough, unflinching, experienced, and unapologetically pro-security. It’s the same leadership delivered by President Donald J. Trump who has in less than six months crippled the cartels, secured our border, signed EO’s to keep our Nation safe and is, without question, the greatest friend to first responders that has ever sat in the Oval Office.

As we look forward, we must also look back with gratitude. Pete King showed us how to do this job right. He showed us that you can be tough on terror and still have the respect of both sides of the aisle. He showed us that you can stand up for your district while protecting the whole country.

That’s the legacy we inherited. And it’s the legacy we must build on.

In Andrew Garbarino, America has a chairman who will listen to the sheriffs in Texas, the cyber-security experts in Silicon Valley, the emergency managers in Louisiana—and yes, the firefighters, police officers, and transit workers right here in New York. He will bring every voice to the table, but make no mistake: he will lead with the grit and resolve that our moment demands.

This moment is bigger than one state. But it starts here.

From the Twin Towers to the #7 Train, from Jones Beach to JFK, from Bethpage to Buffalo, New Yorkers know what it means to endure. We know what it means to rebuild. And we know what it means to lead.

So let this be a message to the enemies of America: We haven’t forgotten, and we haven’t gone soft.

Homeland security is back in New York hands, which means the gloves are off.

Under Chairman Garbarino’s leadership, backed by members who’ve worn the badge and carried the weight of real-world threats, the Committee on Homeland Security will not just monitor the threats—they will confront them head on.

Andrew will be shoulder to shoulder with President Trump to support our first responders, close the holes in our border, stop the flow of fentanyl, and dismantle the networks—both foreign and domestic—that wish to do us harm.

This is the kind of leadership America needs. This is the kind of leadership New York delivers.

And with all Long Island Congressional seats going red in ’26, it’s just getting started. n

Congressman Anthony D’Esposito was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as Inspector General of the Department of Labor. Previously, he served in Congress, representing New York’s 4th Congressional District. Anthony served as a Councilman in the Town of Hempstead after retiring from the NYPD as a highly decorated Detective. He also served as Chief of the Island Park Fire Department and helped lead the all-volunteer organization’s response to Super-Storm Sandy. The Congressman appears frequently on Fox News, Newsmax, ABC National News, and 77 WABC Sid and Friends in the Morning. To contact, email [email protected].