1. United States
2. Utah
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to support Congressman Shri Thanedar's Abolish ICE Act, legislation that would dismantle U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and redirect those resources toward healthcare for Americans who desperately need it. Since its creation in 2003, ICE has operated with unchecked authority that has resulted in tragic loss of life and violated the rights of both immigrants and American citizens. In 2025 alone, the agency's failures became undeniable. On January 7, 2026, a masked ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen, in Minneapolis as she sat in her car. Bystanders were prevented from providing life-saving assistance. That same year, 170 American citizens were wrongfully arrested and detained by ICE, a fact that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem denied during an October 30, 2025 press conference. The human cost extends beyond these individual tragedies. In 2025, 32 inmates died in ICE detention, the highest number in over two decades, due to poor conditions including lack of medical care and neglect. Meanwhile, approximately 70% of ICE arrests in 2025 involved detainees with no criminal record. Legal experts have consistently argued that ICE's mission could be better executed by other federal agencies that prioritize due process over aggressive enforcement. The Abolish ICE Act would immediately halt federal funding for ICE operations, rescind unobligated balances, and abolish the agency within 90 days of enactment. These funds could instead strengthen our healthcare system, expanding access to medical care for underserved communities and addressing the critical gaps that leave too many Americans without adequate treatment. I urge you to cosponsor the Abolish ICE Act and advocate for redirecting these resources toward healthcare infrastructure that protects and serves all Americans. Our communities deserve safety through healthcare access, not terror through unchecked enforcement.