1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

I urge you to immediately introduce and support legislation to protect Americans’ First Amendment rights and prevent federal agencies from using surveillance or anonymity to intimidate citizens for lawful political speech. Recent reports that DHS and ICE have sought social media information about Americans criticizing government policy, combined with the growing use of masked federal agents who display no identification, are deeply troubling. No American should fear government scrutiny or retaliation simply for expressing political views. And no federal officer operating in public should be anonymous. Masked, unidentified agents erode public trust and accountability. Government monitoring of lawful speech risks chilling the very freedoms the Constitution was designed to protect. Congress must act now to: • Prohibit federal agencies from collecting or using Americans’ information based solely on protected speech. • Require federal agents conducting public operations to clearly display their identity and agency. • Strictly limit the use of masks and anonymous enforcement. • Establish enforceable oversight and penalties for violations. Transparency and free speech are not optional in a democracy. I urge you to defend these core constitutional principles.