1. United States
2. Kan.
3. Letter

As you approach the upcoming funding vote for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), I urge you to consider the documented escalation of dangerous and unlawful enforcement tactics and whether continued funding is appropriate at this moment. In recent weeks, Minneapolis has seen multiple fatal shootings by federal agents during unnecessarily escalated operations, including the January 7 killing of Renée Nicole Good and the January 24 shooting death of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an intensive care nurse and U.S. citizen who served his community and cared for veterans. These deaths, along with reports of marginalizing and aggressive actions by federal agents, have sparked widespread mourning, protest, and urgent calls for accountability. Local reports describe allegations of warrantless entries onto school property, use of chemical agents on bystanders, residents tackled and detained in the street, and property damaged during enforcement actions. Across the country, there are mounting reports of aggressive tactics affecting children and families, including detentions that separate children from caregivers under circumstances that cause trauma and are violations of the law. Before approving continued funding for ICE at its current scope and scale, I respectfully ask that federal enforcement actions be dramatically scaled back immediately to prevent further loss of life and additional family and community trauma. These patterns threaten public safety, civil liberties, and fundamental constitutional protections. I urge you to uphold your responsibility to defend the Constitution and prevent further harm to all U.S. residents, including Kansans.