1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am a lifelong Democrat from a family whose support of the Democratic Party goes back to the 1890s, and I currently contribute hundreds of dollars monthly to Democratic campaigns and party programs. I am reconsidering my support for the Democratic Party for the first time in my life. Hakeem Jeffries voted "no" on DHS funding, but he was effectively silent. He did not whip the votes against it. He allowed seven Democrats to vote in favor of it. Defunding DHS/ICE/Border Patrol is a life and death necessity, and Democrats need to lead the resistance—not perform it. Democrats are no better than the spineless Republicans in Congress who let Trump, Miller, and Noem get away with terrorizing people, citizens and non-citizens alike, in the streets. I need you to be loud and fierce in your opposition to the gaslighting this administration is doing, and yes, even the gaslighting Democrats are doing by omission. Any thought that as a politician you can't oppose funding for these agencies because you'll be perceived as "anti-law enforcement" is a cowardly, self-serving, anti-American path. Trump is so underwater with voters—even Trump voters—that opposing ICE is now a moderate position, not a liberal position, not a leftist position, not a progressive position. Unless you speak up, act up, and pressure Democratic leadership, you aren't the resistance we need—you are just feckless "controlled opposition." We need to purge those in Democratic leadership whose only acts of resistance are strongly worded letters. What I need to see: Vote NO on any DHS appropriations that fund ICE and Border Patrol operations as currently structured. Publicly oppose this funding through press releases, town halls, and media appearances. Whip votes within the Democratic caucus to build unified opposition. Pressure Democratic leadership to make this a defining issue. My family has supported Democrats for over 130 years. Your actions will determine whether that continues.