1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing to you today as a concerned constituent regarding the leadership and funding of the Department of Homeland Security. While the recent announcement of Secretary Kristi Noem’s departure is a necessary step, a change in leadership does not address the systemic lack of professional and ethical standards within Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The recent tragedies in Minneapolis and the ongoing reports of unprofessional, unethical and, frankly, immoral conduct during enforcement operations underscore the urgent need for reform. I am calling on you to demand that any DHS funding—and any confirmation of a new Secretary, including Senator Markwayne Mullin—be strictly conditioned upon the adoption of commonsense professional guidelines. Specifically, I demand that you support the following as mandatory, non-negotiable standards for all federal immigration personnel: -- Mandatory Body-Worn Cameras: Requirement for all agents to wear and activate cameras during all public-facing operations. -- Uniform Identification Standards: Agents must be unmasked and clearly identifiable with name and agency markers. -- Judicial Oversight: A requirement for judicial warrants rather than administrative subpoenas for home and workplace entries. The frequent violations of the 4th amendment must be stopped! -- De-escalation Training: Mandatory, comprehensive training in de-escalation and constitutional search and seizure. The current DHS shutdown is a result of a fundamental lack of accountability. I urge you to hold the line: No DHS funding should be passed, regardless of the nominee, until these basic professional law enforcement standards are agreed to and put into action. Our communities deserve safety and the rule of law, which requires that those sworn to protect us are held to the highest professional standards. I look forward to your response on how you intend to vote on these critical issues.