1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I'm writing to demand an immediate shift away from the inflammatory immigration rhetoric and enforcement-first policies that are failing our state and our nation. Congress just approved $170 billion for immigration enforcement in 2025—including $45 billion for new detention centers that will cost 265% more than ICE's current budget. That's more than we spend on the entire federal prison system, yet decades of evidence prove this approach doesn't work. The US-Mexico border was labeled the world's deadliest land migration route by the UN in 2023, with over 895 deaths in fiscal year 2022 alone. President Obama showed us a better way: his administration focused enforcement on "felons, not families," prioritizing terrorists, gang members, and convicted criminals for deportation. By 2016, 94% of deportees were serious criminals compared to just 69% in 2009. His approach formally processed more removals while dramatically reducing recidivism at the border from 29% to 14%. It cost less, worked better, and treated people like humans. The numbers tell a damning story about our current approach. Mass deportation will cost an estimated $900 billion over ten years while increasing the federal deficit by $861.8 billion and reducing GDP. Employment would fall by 5.9 million jobs—hitting both immigrant and US-born workers. Meanwhile, alternatives to detention achieve 97% court appearance rates at just $24 per day, compared to $319 per person for family detention. Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service demonstrated that wrap-around case management with housing costs only $50 daily for an entire family—a fraction of detention's price tag. These programs work. We have the receipts. But the human cost cuts deeper than spreadsheets can show. When politicians call immigrants "animals," they legitimize stigmatization that harms entire communities, including US citizens with immigrant family members. This rhetoric tears apart the social fabric of our cities and destabilizes the communities you represent. I'm asking you to champion humane, cost-effective immigration enforcement that protects our communities without treating human beings as political pawns. Prioritize serious criminals and security threats, as Obama did. Fund alternatives to detention that save taxpayer money and achieve higher compliance rates. Stop the dehumanizing language that fuels hate crimes and drives vulnerable people into the shadows. We can enforce our laws without the cruelty, the waste, or the division. The evidence is clear. The path forward exists. Now we need the political courage to take it.