1. United States
2. Mass.
3. Letter

I’m writing because I am stunned and terrified by the news that the Trump administration is considering suspending habeas corpus—one of the most fundamental legal protections in our democracy. The ability to challenge unlawful detention is not a luxury. It’s a basic right. And it has only been suspended four times in U.S. history—all during periods of real, undeniable national crisis, including the Civil War. So I have to ask: Why are we allowing a president to invoke emergency powers designed for war or catastrophe—when the only crisis is the one he’s manufacturing himself? This is not leadership. This is power-hoarding. This is an attempt to override the Constitution under the guise of authority. And if Congress doesn’t speak out now, then what message are we sending? That it’s okay to chip away at civil liberties anytime a president feels threatened? No president should have the unchecked power to disappear people without due process. No administration should be allowed to play dictator with centuries-old legal protections. I am asking you—imploring you—to speak out loudly, publicly, and immediately against any move to suspend habeas corpus. If this is allowed, what comes next? This moment matters. History is watching. So are your constituents.