1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to withhold support for any Department of Homeland Security funding bill that does not include comprehensive, legally binding reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. The current partial government shutdown presents a critical opportunity to address systemic problems that have caused harm to communities across the country. The reforms I am asking you to support must be written into law, not left to administrative discretion. Specifically, I urge you to require that any DHS funding bill include provisions that ban ICE raids at sensitive locations including schools, hospitals, courts, day cares, and houses of worship. These raids have created climates of fear that prevent families from accessing essential services and undermine public safety when community members become afraid to report crimes or seek medical care. The legislation must also prohibit the arrest or detention of children and end the practice of using children as leverage against their parents. It should stop Customs and Border Protection from assisting ICE operations far from the border, require warrants before ICE agents can enter any home or private business, and mandate that all agents wear masks, body cameras, and visible identification at all times. These accountability measures are standard in law enforcement and should apply equally to immigration enforcement. Additionally, I support cutting ICE funding sufficiently to restore the Affordable Care Act subsidies and Medicaid coverage that were cut in 2025. These healthcare cuts have left constituents in our community without access to affordable medical care, and redirecting enforcement funding toward healthcare represents a meaningful investment in public health and wellbeing. Congress has the constitutional authority to set these conditions on appropriations. I am asking you to use that power now to ensure that any DHS funding includes these systemic reforms written into statute. Temporary administrative promises are insufficient. Only legally binding reforms will provide lasting protection for our communities.