1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to support legislation that would explicitly authorize local and state law enforcement to arrest federal immigration agents who violate civil rights protections under existing federal law. Current federal statutes already criminalize civil rights violations. One statute prohibits conspiracy to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any inhabitant in the free exercise of rights secured by the Constitution, with penalties including fines up to $10,000 and imprisonment up to ten years. Another statute criminalizes deprivation of rights under color of law, with base penalties of up to one year imprisonment and enhanced penalties of up to ten years when bodily injury results. If death results from either violation, perpetrators face imprisonment for any term of years or for life. Despite these clear federal prohibitions, enforcement remains inconsistent when federal agents themselves commit violations. Local law enforcement officers witness civil rights abuses during immigration enforcement operations but lack clear statutory authority to intervene and arrest federal agents engaged in criminal conduct. This creates a two-tiered justice system where federal agents operate with de facto immunity from immediate accountability. Residents in our communities deserve equal protection under the law regardless of who commits the violation. When ICE agents engage in conduct that would constitute criminal civil rights violations, such as conspiracy to intimidate inhabitants or willful deprivation of constitutional rights, local police must have explicit authority to make arrests just as they would for any other person committing these federal crimes. I ask you to introduce or co-sponsor legislation clarifying that state and local law enforcement officers have full authority to arrest federal immigration agents who violate these civil rights statutes. This legislation should specify that federal employment does not provide immunity from arrest for criminal civil rights violations and should establish clear protocols for such arrests. Our communities need this protection now. Equal justice under law requires equal accountability for all who violate it.