Rep. Troy E. Nehls Joins Sen. Ted Cruz for a Press Conference on the Justice for Jocelyn Act

I was proud to join my Texas colleague, Senator Ted Cruz, at a press conference to discuss my and Senator Cruz's legislation, the Justice for Jocelyn Act.

The Justice for Jocelyn Act would improve the detention and tracking of illegal aliens. Specifically, this legislation would require that every available Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention bed be filled. If every ICE bed is filled, this legislation would require the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to exhaust all reasonable efforts to keep an alien in custody. If the DHS Secretary releases an alien pursuant to the Alternative to Detention (ATD) program, an alien would be subject to GPS monitoring for the entire duration of their immigration proceedings, including appeals, or until their removal. Additionally, immigration judges would be required to order an alien removed upon a showing by an ICE attorney that an alien has violated a release order, regardless of whether that alien is present at the removal hearing.

During the press conference, I discussed the three letters I have sent to DHS Secretary Mayorkas, warning him about violent criminals being released from prisons in Venezuela, embedding themselves into migrant caravans, and traversing into our country. I have not received a response from the Biden-Harris Administration to my three letters written over the last two years.

Americans are dying due to the Biden-Harris Administration's failure to secure our borders, and they have blood on their hands.

I urge each of my colleagues to support the Justice for Jocelyn Act.

Watch my remarks from the press conference HERE.

Read the first letter I sent to Secretary Mayorkas HERE.

Read my follow-up letter to Secretary Mayorkas HERE.

After not having received a response to my previous letters, I sent a third letter to Secretary Mayorkas last week. Read my third letter HERE.

As we come together in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, I want to assure you that my team and I are here to help you during this difficult time. The destruction caused by Hurricane Beryl has left many of our family, friends, and neighbors in urgent need of assistance. 

On July 12, 2024, the Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Texas was amended to provide Individual Assistance for Brazoria, Harris, Matagorda, and Wharton counties. These counties have already been designated for debris removal and emergency protective measures (Categories A and B), including direct federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program. As of July 13, 2024, Fort Bend County qualifies for Individual Assistance as well. 

Below, you will find important information on the resources available through FEMA and guidance on how to access this assistance. 

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office. We are here to help you navigate this process and to support you every step of the way. 

Hurricane Beryl

Residents living in Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris, Matagorda, and Wharton counties are now eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance due to Hurricane Beryl impacts.

Individual Assistance is available to individuals and households in need of financial and direct services who have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs. 

To apply for FEMA disaster assistance, please visit this link. If you have access to Wi-Fi and your electronic devices have power, applying online is the easiest, fastest and most convenient way to apply. 

If you have any questions, please call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 every day from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT. Wait times may be unusually high and applying online at disasterassistance.gov is the quickest way to complete an application now.

What you'll need when you apply:

• A current phone number where you can be contacted
• Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are staying now
• Your Social Security number
• A general list of damage and losses
• Banking information if you choose direct deposit
• If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name  

Recovery

Individuals and families in these counties may be eligible to receive Serious Needs Assistance, which is a one-time $750 payment per household for essential items like food, water, baby formula, breast feeding supplies, medication and other emergency supplies. Please contact your State Representative with questions regarding Serious Needs Assistance.

Eligible survivors may also receive Displacement Assistance, which is money to help with housing needs if you cannot return to your home because of the disaster. The money can be used to stay in a hotel, with family and friends or other options while you look for a more permanent housing solution.

In addition to Serious Needs and Displacement Assistance, eligible survivors may receive money for rental assistance, basic home repairs, personal property losses and other eligible expenses related to Hurricane Beryl.

People who applied for and received FEMA assistance for the severe storms that occurred in April can still apply and receive assistance for damage as a result of Hurricane Beryl if their primary home is located in one of the 17 declared counties. 

Residents in any Texas county who experienced property damage are encouraged to report their damage using the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s online Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) by visiting damage.tdem.texas.gov.

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center

FEMA and the State of Texas have established Disaster Recovery Centers in Brazoria and Matagorda counties.

Please visit the links below for more information: FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) / DRC Locator

Texas Hurricane Beryl DR-4798-TX

Be Alert to Fraud After a Disaster

Texans should be aware that con artists and criminals may try to obtain money or steal personal information through fraud or identity theft after Hurricane Beryl. In some cases, thieves try to apply for FEMA assistance using names, addresses and Social Security numbers they have stolen from survivors.

If a FEMA inspector comes to your home and you did not submit a FEMA application, your information may have been used without your knowledge to create a FEMA application. If so, please inform the inspector that you did not apply for FEMA assistance so they can submit a request to stop further processing of the application.

If you did not apply for assistance, but receive a letter from FEMA, please call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. The helpline will submit a request to stop any further processing of that application.

If you do want to apply for FEMA assistance after stopping an application made in your name without your knowledge, the helpline will assist you in creating a new application. 

Scams

FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) crews, housing inspectors and other officials are working in areas impacted by the hurricane. They carry official identification badges with photo IDs. FEMA and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) representatives never charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections or help in filling out applications.

Don't believe anyone who promises a disaster grant in return for payment. They don’t represent FEMA.

Don't give your banking information to a person claiming to be a FEMA housing inspector. FEMA inspectors are never authorized to collect your personal financial information.

How to Report Fraud

If you believe you are the victim of fraud or a scam, report it immediately to your local police or sheriff's department or contact the Office of the Texas Attorney General Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-621-0508.

If you suspect fraudulent activity involving FEMA, you can report it to the FEMA Fraud Branch at: [email protected], fax: (202) 212-4926 or write to: FEMA Fraud and Internal Investigation Division, 400 C Street SW Mail Stop 3005, Washington, DC 20472-3005.

If you suspect identity theft, please visit Identity Theft | FTC Consumer Information or IdentityTheft.gov.

To view an accessible video about fraud, visit: FEMA Accessible: Fraud FEMA (youtube.com)

It is an honor to serve the 22nd Congressional District of Texas in Congress.

For more information, please call or go online to visit us at nehls.house.gov.

My Fulshear District Office is currently seeking full-time and/or part-time interns. Current college students and recent high school and college graduates are welcome to apply.

Intern responsibilities include answering and logging phone calls and assisting staff with special projects, casework, and administrative duties. The ideal candidate should be interested in public policy and government and willing to learn more about the legislative process to serve the folks of the 22nd Congressional District of Texas. Candidates with strong writing, communication, and interpersonal skills are encouraged to apply.

For more information or to start the application process, please visit my website HERE. If you have any questions, please feel free to email one of my team members at [email protected].

My office is now accepting Service Academy Nominations.

One of the privileges of serving in the United States House of Representatives is the opportunity to nominate outstanding young people from the 22nd Congressional District of Texas to be considered for appointment to our nation’s service academies.

Admission to a service academy is a two-tiered process. First, the candidate must meet the minimum standards set by the individual academy. Second, the candidate must complete the congressional application by October 11, 2024, to be considered for an interview in our office with the nomination review board. Please note, the ultimate selection of appointees rests solely with academy officials and is based on their competitive evaluation of all nominees.

Please fill out the web form HERE to receive all of the application information. If you have any further questions, please email [email protected] or call my district office at (346) 762-6600.

I am pleased to announce that my office is hosting the 2024 Congressional App Challenge. The Congressional App Challenge is a competition designed to encourage student participation in computer science and coding. Students are encouraged to register online and submit their app by October 24, 2024.

The Congressional App Challenge is open to all middle and high school students in the 22nd Congressional District of Texas. Students entering the competition must submit their app to CongressionalAppChallenge.us during the Competition Submission Period through Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 12 P.M. Eastern Time.

The winner from the 22nd Congressional District, chosen by a panel of expert judges, will be featured on CongressionalAppChallenge.us. The winning app will also be eligible to be on display in the U.S. Capitol, honoring the winners from across the country.

For more information, please visit the official Congressional App Challenge website email [email protected], or email my office at [email protected].

Do you think VP Kamala Harris is effective at managing the border crisis?



YES 11.1%

NO 88.9%

Should biological men be able to compete in women's sports?