We unveiled novel p65/RelA consensus sites in the promoter of the beclin 1 gene and demonstrate that p65/RelA positively modulates canonical autophagy in various human cell lines both under basal conditions and upon induction by ceramide. Interestingly, we find that T cell receptor-dependent activation of Jurkat cells triggers an increase in the binding of p65/RelA to the beclin 1 promoter accompanied by enhanced autophagy, suggesting that p65/RelA could regulate T-cell activation and homeostasis through autophagy.