1. United States
2. Fla.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to vote against any Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill until ICE demonstrates genuine accountability for its actions. The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse and U.S. citizen with a legal carry permit, by a federal agent in Minneapolis this Saturday represents a breaking point that demands congressional action. This is the second fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis this month alone. Renee Nicole Good was killed by an ICE officer just weeks earlier. Witness videos directly contradict the Trump administration's narrative about the Pretti shooting. While officials claimed Pretti approached law enforcement with a gun and violently resisted, videos show him going to help someone who was pushed by federal agents and do not appear to show him holding a gun in the moments before he was killed. Neither Pretti nor Good had criminal records. The pattern of misconduct extends beyond these killings. In Minnesota alone, federal agents have removed a 2-year-old from their mother's arms and wrongfully detained an elderly Hmong man, taking him from his house in his underwear. These actions violate basic law enforcement principles and erode the trust that communities need to feel safe. Funding ICE without accountability sends a message that Congress accepts this behavior. Law enforcement depends on public trust, and there has been a total breakdown of trust in how these agencies operate. Before another dollar goes to DHS, transparent investigations into both killings must be completed, and structural reforms must be implemented to prevent future abuses. I understand that withholding DHS funding from the appropriations package risks a partial government shutdown at the end of the month. However, the alternative is funding agencies that are making communities less safe while operating outside the bounds of lawful conduct. I ask you to support separating DHS funding from other appropriations until meaningful accountability measures are in place.