1. United States
2. Mass.
3. Letter

Our First Amendment rights are under unprecedented attack by the Trump administration's unconstitutional arrests and deportations of immigrants based solely on their speech. Law-abiding residents like Mahmoud Khalil, Rümeysa Öztürk, and Badar Khan Suri have been snatched from their homes and communities without notice, threatened with deportation – all for exercising their constitutional right to protest and voice dissent. This is unacceptable in a free society. The government cannot selectively punish certain viewpoints or retaliate against those who criticize officials and policies. The First Amendment protects speech across the spectrum, regardless of one's immigration status. If the administration can target legal immigrants today for their speech, they will surely go after citizens speaking out tomorrow. This assault on civil liberties is reminiscent of the Red Scare era's repression of dissidents and must be stopped immediately. Congress has a duty to take a strong stand against these flagrant violations of constitutional rights. Deporting people over their speech lays the groundwork for authoritarian rule. You must condemn these attacks, protect residents from retaliation for dissent, and unequivocally reaffirm America's commitment to free speech for all. The survival of our democracy depends on decisive action now.