Senate Update: Two Things at Once – Fighting a Lawless Trump Administration While Delivering for Maryland

As we continue to confront huge challenges at home and abroad, I want to update you on the work I am doing to stand up for Marylanders, defend our democracy, and hold the Trump Administration accountable.

Here at home, we continue to see the tragic consequences of an Administration that believes it is above the law. Last month, Trump’s Department of Homeland Security and ICE agents shot and killed two more people in a single week, bringing the total number of people killed by DHS and ICE agents since President Trump returned to office to ten – and that is in addition to the more than 50 people who have died in ICE custody in that same time.

A few weeks ago, I traveled to Minneapolis and visited the makeshift memorials for Renee Good and Alex Pretti. It was heartbreaking to see the teddy bears at the site for Renee Good, reminding us all that her children’s stuffed animals were on the passenger side of her car when she was gunned down. The Alex Pretti site displayed photos of the veterans he had cared for as a nurse at the local VA Hospital. Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and the eight others should all be alive today. And, to add insult to injury, Trump’s DHS and his Administration will lie to avoid accountability for those who gunned them down. In all of these killings, we need the truth, and we need accountability. I will continue working to ensure these shootings are independently investigated and that those responsible are held accountable. This killing spree must end.

These attacks are part of the Trump Administration’s broader assault on immigrant communities – which also includes stripping legal status from Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders to fuel Trump’s mass deportation agenda. Congress established TPS decades ago, with bipartisan support, to ensure that when people cannot safely return to their countries of origin, we do not put their lives at risk by forcing them to go back. While in the United States, these TPS holders are subject to strict eligibility requirements, repeated vetting, and thorough background checks as part of maintaining their legal status. Many of them have lived in the United States for decades, started small businesses, and become part of the fabric of our communities. The fact that his Administration is seeking to end TPS protections puts a lie to Trump’s claim that he is focused on deporting “the worst of the worst.”

I joined Senate Democrats on the floor to fight to pass legislation that would redesignate Haiti for TPS through early 2029. That legislation would have protected Haitian TPS holders from being forced back into a country which our State Department’s own travel advisory warns is too dangerous to visit for any reason. 

I also went to the Senate floor to bring up my SECURE Act, which would provide qualified TPS and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients with a pathway to lawful permanent residence after years of living and working legally in the United States. Republicans blocked us from moving forward on both efforts, putting these individuals’ lives at great risk. 

We must not give up. I will continue pushing to redesignate TPS for Haiti, as well as Yemen and Syria, and restore these protections. We also understand that the Administration is planning to remove TPS for Salvadorans, who represent a large community within Maryland. I will continue fighting to uphold the once bipartisan principle that, in the United States of America, we do not send people directly into harm's way. 

Meanwhile, the Trump Administration remains engaged in what a federal judge determined was a vindictive prosecution against Kilmar Abrego Garcia because he exercised his constitutional rights. The judge called the Administration’s attack “an abuse of prosecuting power.” The Justice Department has asked the federal appeals court to reinstate the charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia that were already dismissed, as the Administration continues trying to deport him to Liberia. This is unacceptable. I will not stop fighting to uphold Kilmar’s constitutional rights – because when the rights of one of us are threatened, the rights of all of us are at risk. 

Whether it is standing up for immigrant communities, defending our Constitution, or delivering for Maryland families, I will keep standing up and speaking out to hold this Administration accountable and deliver results for the people of our state. Here's the latest:

Pushing Back Against Trump’s Illegal War in Iran

President Trump declared victory in Iran months ago. But almost six months into this war, more Americans and civilians are being killed, the conflict is expanding, and American families are paying higher prices for everything from groceries to gas as a result. 

In June, both chambers of Congress passed House Concurrent Resolution 86, directing the President to terminate hostilities against Iran. The passage of that resolution should have marked the end of this disastrous war. But time and again, President Trump has shown he has no respect for the Constitution or the rule of law. So, in July, I brought my War Powers Resolution to the Senate floor to end this senseless and illegal war and force every senator to go on the record. Republicans voted it down, even as they refuse to pass an affirmative resolution to authorize the Iran war. The Constitution is clear: the power to declare war belongs to Congress because our founders understood the danger of allowing any one person to send our service members into harm’s way. 

Republicans have continued to duck their constitutional duties. If they had the courage of their convictions, they would vote to give President Trump the authorization to use military force. They have refused to do that. Yet, at the same time, they have voted against our effort to end these unauthorized hostilities. Meanwhile, the costs continue to mount. 

The death toll among American service members is now eighteen, while hundreds more have been injured. Thousands of civilians have been killed across the region. The Strait of Hormuz is closed, gas prices have climbed to about $4 per gallon, and rising fuel costs continue to push up the prices of groceries and other necessities for families here at home. 

President Trump told the American people this war would last only weeks. He later repeatedly claimed that we had won. But if we won in March, why were more Americans killed in July? Why is the Strait of Hormuz closed? And why are American families still paying the price? 

I put those questions directly to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth when he appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee last month. I asked him: What does winning this war look like? He had no clear answer. 

He eventually said the mission was to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon – even though he and President Trump previously claimed their bombing campaign last year had already “obliterated” Iran’s ability to do so. It is clear that this is a war in search of a mission. 

Meanwhile, Trump and his Administration have demonstrated contempt for our soldiers on the front lines. Our Marines and members of the Navy have endured grueling conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during its record-breaking deployment of more than eight months without a port of call. The Lincoln is finally headed home, but the Administration’s dismissive response to the serious concerns raised by those on board was shameful – including President Trump saying the deployment was “not nearly long enough.”   

Instead of confronting these failures, the Administration continues to attack the journalists who bring them to light. The Administration wants a press that will spout their propaganda, rather than the facts. They even recently fired the head of the Stars and Stripes – the independent Department of Defense newspaper funded by taxpayer dollars – yet another blatant crackdown on free speech and a free press.

While they mislead the public about the costs of the war, the Trump Administration is asking Congress for approximately $70 billion more to fund it and replenish depleted weapons stocks. That request comes on top of a proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget, despite the fact that the Pentagon has never passed a clean audit. 

Congress should not hand the President a blank check to continue a war that it refuses to authorize. But that’s what Republicans want to do. I have been clear: I will not vote to support this illegal, senseless war or add billions to a bloated Pentagon budget that serves as a de facto authorization for it. I will keep fighting to end this war, reassert Congress’s constitutional authority, and stop the Trump Administration from sacrificing more American lives and taxpayer dollars for this strategic blunder of epic proportions. 

Fighting Trump’s Crypto Corruption

The power of the presidency should be used to serve the American people, not to enrich the person who holds the office. Unfortunately, we are seeing the opposite under Donald Trump. He has turned the presidency into a vehicle for personal enrichment schemes, using the power of the office to benefit himself, his family, and his political allies. 

The Trump and Melania “meme coins” are among the clearest examples of this corruption. Nearly one million people who bought Trump’s meme coin have lost money, with combined losses totaling $3.8 billion. 

At the same time, Donald Trump has made approximately $1.4 billion from his family’s crypto schemes. In 2025 alone, he raked in $636 million from his crypto coin as part of at least $2.2 billion amassed through all of his business ventures, while the American people pay the price. 

And it is not just the meme coin. His family’s World Liberty Financial venture brought in $799 million last year alone. This is all while the Trump Administration leverages its power over agencies to expand this venture’s reach. Earlier this month, the Trump Administration approved a bank charter for World Liberty Financial. The company, the deal, and the entire process are corrupt to the core. I warned this would happen. 

That’s why I joined Senator Warren and our colleagues in introducing a bill to ensure that no President, Vice President, their immediate families, or other senior government officials can exploit their positions to own or control a bank, which could serve as a major vehicle for corrupt dealings.

We saw the potential for corruption last year when Trump held a special dinner for the largest holders of his meme coin, including foreign investors who spent millions of dollars to gain access to the President of the United States. We’ve also seen foreign investors from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) make massive investments in World Liberty Financial while the President relaxed export controls on very sensitive chip technology to the UAE. 

The American people should never have to wonder whether a policy decision was made in the public interest or to increase the value of an asset owned by the President and his family. 

Congress is currently considering the CLARITY Act, legislation that would establish a new regulatory framework for digital assets. I’ve said repeatedly that any such legislation must protect consumers, safeguard our financial system, protect our national security, crack down on illicit finance, AND establish real, enforceable protections against corruption, including guardrails against self-dealing and conflicts of interest by the President and Members of Congress. 

But the CLARITY Act fails all those tests.

When the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee considered the bill in May, I offered amendments to crack down on public officials – including the President and Members of Congress – using digital assets for personal enrichment and to strengthen protections against illicit finance, self-dealing, and other abuses. Republicans blocked those amendments. Without critical changes, the CLARITY Act risks opening the door to more corruption and abuse while failing to provide the protections Americans deserve. 

The American people see what is happening. They see a President using the power of his office to enrich himself while ordinary people are left holding the bag. They see a system where the people at the top make money and everyone else takes the risk. They deserve better. 

The presidency is not supposed to be a pathway to owning a pay-to-play casino, and I will keep fighting to ensure that our laws will never allow elected officials to use public office as a vehicle for personal profit.

Delivering for Maryland and Preserving Our History

Despite the dysfunction and chaos generated by the Trump Administration, I remain focused on delivering real results for communities across Maryland.

In Baltimore, Team Maryland celebrated a major milestone with the completion of the Howard Street Tunnel project. Thanks to $125 million in federal funding we secured for the project, the expanded tunnel can now accommodate double-stacked rail containers. That will allow more cargo to move efficiently through the Port of Baltimore and along the East Coast, increase the Port’s container business by an estimated 160,000 containers annually, and support more than 13,000 jobs.

I also joined Congressman Mfume and Beloved Community Services Corporation to celebrate the restoration of the historic Juanita Jackson Mitchell Law Office. Juanita Jackson Mitchell was a trailblazing civil rights leader and the first Black woman admitted to practice law in Maryland. The building will now serve as the home of the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s ROAR Center, which provides holistic services to survivors of crime. We secured $1.75 million in federal funding to help restore this important civil rights landmark and give it a new life serving Baltimore residents.

And in Baltimore County, I joined local leaders at AfriThrive Inc.’s community food center to announce $800,000 secured in federal funding for facility renovations that will increase AfriThrive’s ability to help immigrant and low-income families across Baltimore County and Baltimore City put food on the table.

In Southern Maryland, I joined local leaders for the public launch of the Management Plan for the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area. I was proud to help secure the region’s designation as a National Heritage Area in 2023, recognizing its extraordinary contributions to our state and nation. This new plan will help preserve Southern Maryland’s history and environment, strengthen local tourism, and support economic opportunity throughout the region.

In Montgomery County, I joined the community to celebrate the reopening of the Pleasant View Historic Site. Founded in 1868 by formerly enslaved Maryland families, Pleasant View served as a school, place of worship, and community gathering space at a time when Black Marylanders were denied their most basic rights. We secured $943,000 in federal funding to support its restoration so future generations can learn from this history.

Earlier this month, I traveled to the Eastern Shore to speak with local leaders at the Maryland Association of Counties annual conference and to highlight two federal investments that Senator Alsobrooks and I secured for Shore communities. In Berlin, we fought to deliver $1.4 million that will help transform the historic Flower Street School site into a new community center that will house the SHORE UP! Head Start Center, recreational spaces, and a museum honoring the history of the Flower Street School. In Ocean City, we secured $20 million to support the Army Corps of Engineers’ work to replenish the beach, protecting the shoreline, homes, and businesses against storms and erosion.

And last week, I spent the day in Western Maryland with Congresswoman McClain Delaney, highlighting $6.25 million in federal investments we secured in Garrett and Allegany Counties. At Frostburg State University, we delivered over $3.5 million to expand STEM education opportunities, and in Westernport, we delivered $675,000 for the Potomac Fire Company to replace its 35-year-old fire engine. We also highlighted $1 million we secured to support the Garrett Regional Medical Center’s new radiation department that will provide treatment for cancer patients across the region, and another $1 million we secured for the Town of Oakland to help replace their aging water infrastructure.

I also recently wrote about the lessons Maryland’s history holds for us as our nation commemorated its 250th anniversary. From the sacrifice of the Maryland 400 and George Washington’s decision to surrender power by resigning his military commission in Annapolis to the courage of Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and Thurgood Marshall, Marylanders have repeatedly challenged our country to live up to its democratic ideals.

At a moment when the Trump Administration is attacking our history and democratic institutions, their examples remind us that preserving our democracy requires active participation from all of us.

Important SNAP and Medicaid Changes and Constituent Resources

Marylanders are already feeling the harmful impacts from the devastating cuts to SNAP and Medicaid by the Trump Administration and congressional Republicans in their so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.”

Last November, the law imposed more burdensome administrative barriers, making it harder for eligible Maryland families to keep their SNAP benefits. And we’ve already seen over 35,000 Marylanders lose SNAP because of these Republican cuts. The Maryland Department of Human Services has put together information and resources to help Marylanders navigate these changes, which can be found here.

The law will also impose new Medicaid eligibility restrictions beginning October 1, 2026, as well as work requirements beginning January 1, 2027, that may cause up to 165,000 Marylanders to lose their coverage in the coming years. Those who may be affected should watch for official notices from Maryland Health Connection and the Maryland Department of Health. The Maryland Department of Health has put together information and resources to help Marylanders understand these changes and find alternative health care options. You can learn more here.

These cuts are among the many changes the Trump Administration and Republicans chose to make to health care and food assistance that are impacting families across Maryland while they, in turn, provided enormous tax breaks to billionaires and wealthy corporations. I voted against these devastating cuts, and I will continue fighting to protect and strengthen access to SNAP and health care for Maryland families.

Thank You

There is no shortage of urgent work ahead, from protecting the Constitution and ending Trump’s illegal war to fighting corruption, defending our elections, delivering for Maryland, and making life more affordable. 

I am grateful to everyone across Maryland who continues to share their experiences, raise their voices, and stay engaged. Your input directly shapes the fights we take on in the Senate and the solutions we continue to push forward. 

Onwards, 

Chris Van Hollen

To see more on my daily efforts to fight back against the Trump Administration, follow me on: YouTube, Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and X.

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