Locals bring national issues to the forefront at Rep. Thompson’s town hall
Venezuela, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and democratic response to President Donald Trump’s H.R. 1 were top of mind for attendees of U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson’s first town hall of 2026, which took place last night at the American Canyon Boys and Girls Club.
The unusually rainy, dark afternoon was no deterrent for the 60+ Napa County residents who showed up to talk with Thompson, D-St. Helena, at Monday’s event.
The rep’s main message? “We’re going to work on it. It’s going to be tough. And it’s going to be time consuming.”
Here are some of the questions and answers from the hour-long town hall:
Q: “Under the Trump administration, what are the foremost problems it has created for California?”
A: Gutting $60 million in fire prevention; healthcare cuts; attack on immigration; green energy cuts.
Q: “Does the U.N. have any authority concerning Venezuela?”
A: “No,” said Thompson. “It was done the wrong way, it was done — most experts will tell you — in an illegal way … this is a top priority for us.”
Q: “Do the Democrats and House of Representatives have any legislative plans for eliminating the very aggressive anti-immigrant and deportation actions of ICE/DHS?”
A: “There’s some.” Thompson cited two bills regarding ICE officers he co-authored that were introduced in 2025.
Q: “Deeply frustrated by Democrats’ inability to lead, we need new, vigorous leadership. Do you support this or is the status quo [fine with you]?”
A: “I’ve been pretty vigorous in my opposition to what they’re doing … It’s important that the American people rally as well — that’s how things are going to be changed.”
Q: “What are your thoughts on the rising interest in democratic socialism among the younger folks?”
A: “I don’t see that going away; it’s pretty popular.” But, Thompson said, “It’s important to remember that New York City is not the Central Valley in California … we’re not going to flip the House by running the most progressive candidates for seats we can barely hang on to.”
Q: “A lot of us are hoping that the dam breaks … that Republicans stop being the lackeys of Trump. How long is that going to take?”
A: “His best ally in congress, Marjorie Taylor Greene, she bailed, and she’s been very outspoken about it. The polls this weekend … [Trump] went from +9% to -11%.”
Q: “What have you done for wildfire resilience and what more can be done?”
A: “When we had our big fires here, I brought $99 million back to deal with restoring both burned areas as well as infrastructure that was damaged.”
After opening remarks from American Canyon Mayor Pierre Washington, Thompson spoke to his constituents about some of his work as a lawmaker: hosting Know Your Rights meetings with immigration groups, advocating for veterans and introducing legislation like the American Affordability Act and the Energy Independence and Affordability Act.
Thompson, 74, is considered a traditional Democrat and has represented California’s fourth district since 1999. In November, he faces off against fellow Democrat Eric Jones, 34, a former finance professional and nonprofit owner. Recently, a campaigner for Jones was investigated for allegedly surveilling Thompson’s home in St. Helena.
Venezuela
“What are you going to do to stop the illegal war in Venezuela?” was the first question launched at Thompson.
“What happened in Venezuela was one of the craziest things this guy has done,” the congressman responded.
“Everybody recognizes that [President Nicolás Maduro] is a bad person … It’s good that he’s in jail. But you can go down the line and list a terrible being that’s the leader of a country somewhere.” President Trump’s capture of the Venezuelan president was illegal, Thompson said.
A commonly named pretext for Maduro’s capture is Venezuela’s reserves of crude oil. If the U.S. were to eventually send troops there, Thompson said he would oppose it.
“Oil comes from Venezuela,” he said. “I’m not going to support any one of your children or grandchildren setting foot in any place where they’re in harm’s way in order to get more oil.” Attendees clapped and whistled in agreement.
H.R. 1
“What are you doing to reverse the harmful measures enacted in the One Big Ugly Bill?” This was a question rehashed a couple times in the town hall, referring to H.R. 1, dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill. One questioner stated they were “deeply frustrated by Democrats’ inability to lead,” with meaningful change under the Trump administration, asking if Thompson wanted to maintain the “status quo.”
“People who understand the big ugly bill and what it’s done to healthcare are on super pins and needles,” said Thompson. “That’s $1.5 trillion out of healthcare. This is going to be devastating to everyone across the country. Hospitals are going to close, skilled nursing facilities are going to close, clinics are going to close. It’s going to hurt.”
Renewable energy support was also gutted in the 2025 bill. “The environmental progress we have made has been stymied,” Thompson said, emphasizing his work.
Both Thompson’s American Affordability Act and the Energy Independence and Affordability Act, he said, were drafted “to try and reverse the cuts [the Trump administration] made.” Unfortunately, most legislation introduced by congress members takes years to pass or does not progress beyond introduction.
H.R.1 has eliminated billions across federally-funded programs like SNAP, Medicaid and green energy transitions while simultaneously expanding the construction of affordable housing — possibly more a boon for developers than the cash-strapped applicants hoping to live there.
Because of H.R. 1, it’s estimated that some 10% of households with the lowest incomes will lose 2% of their annual income by 2027.
“I’ve been pretty vigorous in my opposition to what they’re doing … I can’t tell you how many rallies I’ve attended and how many rallies and press conferences I’ve staged,” Thompson said.
Wildfires
For Napa residents, funding for wildfire damage is a priority, and it’s another victim of federal cuts after the cancellation of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants crafted to fund fire prevention work. Several questions touched on fears of future blazes.
“When we had our big fires here, I brought $99 million back to deal with restoring both burned areas as well as infrastructure that was damaged,” Thompson said, citing a 2018 windfall from the feds under Biden.
Thompson mentioned an ongoing program that provides $10,000 in FEMA grants to homeowners for securing their homes against fires. He added that, in 2024, legislation he co-authored brought $500 billion back to Napa and California residents who faced steep taxes on settlements made with PG&E following years of devastating wildfires.
Even so, it remains unclear what measures will be taken should wildfires hit the state this year.
Immigration
“Again, we’re fighting them,” said Thompson. Immigration raids and mass arrests, he said, have been “just absolutely terrible. It’s hurt families, it’s hurt agricultural community, business communities – it’s an ongoing attack that is crippling our communities.”
Thompson co-authored laws that would remove the word “police” from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) uniforms and require ICE agents to remove face coverings, which right now are used to conceal their identities.
Wine
In response to Trump’s tariffs on Canadian products, Thompson said, “Canadian folks have taken all American alcoholic products off the shelf — that includes wine.”
Canada is a top importer of Napa and California wine. “It’s crushing,” said Thompson. While some measures have been taken to shore up wineries facing losses, long-term solutions for the struggling industry are far off.
After the town hall, locals mingled, chatting with Thompson before he geared up for an 8:30 a.m. flight back to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday morning.
“The eco-center and the Wetlands Edge — he’s done well for us and the rest of the valley,” said American Canyon resident Hugh Marquez. Marquez’s chief concern is Trump administration’s mass firing of progressive judges in the country.
Marquez hopes to see Thompson complete another term after the November election. “He comes out in the community and every community, and I think that that this [matters].”
