1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to take immediate action to protect Ohio residents from warrantless immigration enforcement raids that are targeting American citizens and families in their homes. On Sunday in St. Paul, Minnesota, ICE agents broke down the door of ChongLy 'Scott' Thao, a US citizen who has held citizenship for decades, without a warrant. In 14-degree weather, agents forced their way into his home, brandished guns at his family including his four-year-old grandson, and refused to look at his identification when he attempted to prove his citizenship. They handcuffed him and took him outside in only shorts and sandals, drove him around for nearly an hour, and only then demanded to see the same ID they had prevented him from retrieving at his house. After confirming his citizenship and finding no criminal record, they returned him home without apology or compensation for the damaged door. The Department of Homeland Security then made false claims that Thao lived with convicted sex offenders, which Minnesota's registry does not support. The nearest registered sex offender lives more than two blocks away. Thao actually lives with his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson. St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her stated that ICE is not targeting hardened criminals but rather going after anyone in their path, calling it unacceptable and un-American. Records show that nearly three-quarters of people recently booked into ICE detention had no criminal convictions, contradicting claims that enforcement targets only violent criminals. Ohio families deserve protection from these unconstitutional home invasions that terrorize children and violate the rights of American citizens. I urge you to introduce or support legislation that prohibits warrantless immigration enforcement in Ohio, requires verification of citizenship status before detention, and establishes accountability measures for wrongful arrests. Our communities need safeguards against these traumatizing and illegal tactics.