1. United States
2. Va.
3. Letter

I’m calling today because I’m deeply disturbed by the escalating attacks on immigrants and the dangerous lack of accountability from ICE. Reports of indiscriminate arrests, abusive practices, and inhumane detention conditions are mounting across the country. Immigrants—many of whom have no criminal history—are being swept into detention without due process. Families are being torn apart, and people are being held in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions that violate basic human rights. One of the most alarming examples is the so-called "Alligator Alcatraz," a remote ICE detention site in the Florida Everglades. Detainees there have reported hunger, filthy conditions, and a terrifying sense of abandonment. Housing vulnerable individuals far from legal resources or oversight is a national disgrace. This facility must be shut down before more people are harmed—or killed. Congress cannot continue to turn a blind eye. I urge you to take immediate steps to investigate ICE abuses, defund rogue operations, and shut down remote detention centers like Alligator Alcatraz. No one should be punished for seeking a better life. I’m also asking you to vote NO on the rescissions package. Slashing funding for public broadcasting, especially when it plays a critical role in the Emergency Alert System, is reckless. Communities are still reeling from the devastating and deadly flooding in Texas. Cutting public broadcasting in the wake of such a tragedy sends the wrong message and leaves the public more vulnerable during emergencies. Don’t do it. Please act with urgency. Uphold the values of due process, dignity, and public safety. This is your opportunity to lead with courage and compassion.