The Tiffany Telegram: May 15, 2026
Dear Friend,
If you are a regular Telegram reader, you know I have long fought to end sanctuary jurisdictions.
These are jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, meaning when a criminal illegal alien is arrested, local officials release them back into the community instead of allowing them to be removed from the country.
In Virginia, after electing a Democrat governor, one of her first actions was to declare that her administration would block cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
The consequences followed.
In February, illegal alien Abdul Jalloh stabbed Stephanie Minter to death at a northern Virginia bus stop. He had 30 prior arrests.
A few months earlier, the same soft-on-crime prosecutor who had dropped more than half of Jalloh’s charges over the years also dropped charges against Marvin Morales-Ortez. This illegal alien was released back onto the streets of northern Virginia despite an ICE detainer. One day later, he murdered a man and has since been charged with second-degree murder.
And Wisconsin is not immune to this danger.
Because Dane County operates as a sanctuary jurisdiction, two teenagers with their whole lives ahead of them were killed by a repeat drunk-driving illegal alien who had previously been released back into the community.
And just last month, an illegal alien admitted to forcing sexual acts on a resident at an assisted living facility and is accused of assaulting another patient with dementia in Fitchburg. Since Dane County refuses to fully cooperate with ICE, DHS had to urge local officials not to release him back into the community.
That is simply unacceptable. Every criminal illegal alien should be removed.
To end this lawlessness, I cosponsored the Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act, which redirects federal law enforcement funding away from sanctuary jurisdictions. Importantly, it also gives victims the right to sue when crimes are committed by illegal aliens who should never have been released in the first place. You can read more about this important legislation here.
I am also a cosponsor of the Sanctuary Penalty and Public Protection Act, which would fully strip federal funding from sanctuary jurisdictions.
It’s time to restore safe streets and put the safety of American citizens ahead of protecting criminal illegal aliens.
And as we approach Memorial Day, let us also take time to honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.
Thanks again for starting off your weekend with us. We will be back in two weeks with more. We hope you enjoy this week’s edition of the Tiffany Telegram.
Sincerely,
Tom Tiffany
Member of Congress
Click here to watch my remarks in the House Judiciary Committee on how sanctuary jurisdictions make our communities less safe.
Honoring our law enforcement officials
As the nation celebrated National Police Week, I want to thank all our brave law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line every day to keep our community and us safe. Congress took the time this week to honor our men and women in Blue by passing a wide variety of legislation to further protect our officers. Some of these bills include Representative Fitzgerald’s (WI-05) Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act – a bill that I cosponsored – which will provide robust oversight and regulations on bail to ensure that violent criminals are not let back onto our streets to harm again. I also voted for and helped pass H. Con. Res. 96 to express continued Congressional support and dedication to our law enforcement officials. Unfortunately, 173 Democrats voted against this measure, signaling that their days of wishing to defund the police are not over. From sanctuary policies to slashing police budgets, Democrats across the country still seek to unnecessarily put officers in harm’s way and threaten our communities. Thankfully, our courageous men and women in law enforcement work tirelessly to protect the communities that they serve, and it is our duty in Congress to do everything we can to protect them in return.
Choice for veterans
This week, I cosponsored the CHOICE for Veterans Act, which aims to crack down on fraud in the Veterans Affairs (VA) claims system while protecting veterans' right to choose the claims assistance that best suits them. This bill would require the VA to clearly inform veterans of free services available through Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), and to maintain a public website listing accredited agents, warning about fees, and providing a way for veterans to report unaccredited actors. This bill also modernizes the VA's accreditation process by creating an application process and allowing conditional, temporary accreditation if the VA cannot make a final decision within 180 days. It also brings back real penalties for anyone who tries to rip off veterans. You can read the full text here. That same push for accountability must show up in how we fund veterans' care. That is why this week the House passed the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, which provides $157 billion in discretionary funding and $450.29 billion for the VA overall. It fully funds veterans' health care and benefits, maintains funding for research and mental health programs, invests more than $2 billion in VA Medical Facility capital improvements, and invests in national cemeteries. You can read the full bill here.
2026 Congressional Art Competition winners
It is my pleasure to congratulate the winners of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition and thank all those who participated. Ayasha Bowman of Wausau East High School, the first-place winner, will have her charcoal drawing of the Apostle Islands on display in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol for one year. The second-place winner, Brooklyn Weiler, will have her oil painting on display in my Washington, D.C. office, and the third-place winner, Nevaeh Utyro, will have her watercolor painting on display in my Wausau office. Click here to view our winning artwork.
Apostle Islands by Ayasha Bowman
Committee Update
Natural Resources
America’s public lands and energy future
On Wednesday, the Natural Resources Committee welcomed the Secretary of the Department of the Interior (DOI), Doug Burgum, for a hearing on the Department’s FY2027 budget request. This was a great opportunity for the Secretary to highlight all of DOI's accomplishments so far under his leadership, as well as the important work that is still to come. From unleashing American energy, streamlining wildfire response, and improving access to our public lands, we touched on a vast number of issues. During my five minutes of questioning, I was able to ask the Secretary about many important issues that we have been busy working on this year. Telegram readers may remember that in March, I introduced a bill and sent a letter to the current administration regarding China-linked birth tourism. This is a huge issue in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory that falls under the Department of the Interior's oversight responsibilities. The Secretary reassured us that his department is working diligently with immigration officials to close this loophole. Additionally, we covered the new U.S. Wildland Fire Service, the significance and leverage that public-private partnerships provide for the National Park Service, as well as the Equal Access to Justice Act, which “conservation” groups have created a lucrative business model off of suing the federal government. The Interior Department and our public lands will be centerstage for America’s 250th birthday celebration, and this budget, along with its proposed projects, reflects a strong investment in supporting our public lands for future generations to come. You can watch my questioning of the Secretary here.
District Update
Photo of the week
This week, on Hmong-Lao Veterans Day, we honored the service and sacrifice of the thousands of Hmong-Lao soldiers who fought alongside the United States during the Vietnam War, many of whom resettled in Wisconsin. If you have a photo of Wisconsin that you would like to share, please send it to comms.tiffany@gmail.com with your name and location. Your photo could be featured in next week’s Telegram!
Happy Hmong-Lao Veterans Day!
Resources
Vacation is meant to be relaxing, so don’t let renewing or applying for your passport stress you out. The current processing time is 4 to 6 weeks, so we recommend getting this done as soon as possible. For more information, click here.
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As always, you are welcome to visit my website or to contact my offices in Washington, DC or Wisconsin, which remain open for service, if you have any questions or need assistance.
Good News from Wisconsin's 7th District and Congress
Young Advocacy
This week, fifth graders Logan, Eleanor, RJ, Sara, Nora, and Adele wrote in to my office about why they think the Apostle Islands should be a national park!
Record-Breaking Season
Bloomer youth softball and baseballhad a whopping 413 kids sign up for the 2026 season. Good luck to all the teams!
Retirement Announcement
After 32 years of service, Amery fire chief Chuck Frohn has announced his retirement. Thank you for keeping our communities safe!
Fighting Fraud
Vice President JD Vance rolled out the White House Fraud Task Force this week, the most aggressive anti-fraud efforts in the country.