1. United States
2. Ore.
3. Letter

I am writing to demand your immediate action in defense of the First Amendment and the fundamental civil liberties that define the United States as a free and democratic nation. The reported detention of journalist Don Lemon for engaging in constitutionally protected newsgathering and reporting represents a deeply alarming escalation in the suppression of the press. A free press is not a privilege granted by those in power — it is a right guaranteed by the Constitution. When journalists are detained for doing their jobs, the result is not “law and order,” but fear, silence, and the erosion of democratic accountability. History makes clear that the targeting of the press is a hallmark of authoritarianism. It is profoundly un-American and incompatible with the values of liberty, transparency, and the rule of law that our nation claims to uphold. I am calling on you to: • Publicly demand the immediate release of Don Lemon and any journalists detained for lawful reporting or protest observation • Use your oversight authority to investigate any federal actions that violate First Amendment protections • Advocate for the immediate release of children and individuals with no criminal history who are being held in custody without compelling public safety justification No child should be detained as a matter of political expediency, and no peaceful, nonviolent person should be deprived of their freedom without due process and necessity. These practices undermine both our Constitution and our moral standing in the world. Your office has both the power and the obligation to act. Silence in moments like this is not neutrality — it is consent. I urge you to stand firmly for the Constitution, for civil liberties, and for the basic principle that no democracy can survive without a free press and the humane treatment of those in custody.