1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing as your constituent in anguish over the human rights crisis unfolding in our country, and I am appealing to you not only as a lawmaker, but as a moral actor accountable to God and to history. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives us a clear test of righteousness: “For I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink… Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” (Matthew 25:42, 45). Today, “the least of these” are not theoretical—they are the detained, the desperate, the poor, the sick, the frightened, the displaced, and the powerless. Many elected officials publicly identify as Christians, invoke the name of Christ, and campaign on “faith” and “family values,” yet the policies being advanced and defended—cruelty, deprivation, fear, and indifference—stand in direct contradiction to the words of the Lord. I am urging you to take immediate action to stop the ongoing harms being carried out through ICE operations and detention practices—through emergency oversight, legislative restrictions, funding constraints, investigations, and public accountability. Do not hide behind procedure while people suffer. Do not call yourself “pro-life” while turning your face from human beings pleading for mercy, safety, and dignity. And beyond policy, I am asking you to examine your soul and your conscience: where did you go so wrong that you could witness the suffering of human beings made in the image of God and still feel comfortable, still feel justified, still feel righteous? Power does not excuse sin. The refusal to act is a choice, and history will record it—yet more importantly, so will God. I expect an immediate response describing what you are doing right now to protect basic human rights, restrain abuses of power, and restore humane treatment under the law.