1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

Senator Murray, thank you for forcing real accountability into these appropriations bills—rejecting Trump’s proposed cuts and redirecting funding back to medical research, public health, housing stability, and Amtrak, where taxpayers actually benefit. Why are taxpayers appropriating $10B more for ICE at all? ICE is unpopular — and ALREADY the HIGHEST-FUNDED federal law-enforcement agency. ICE isn't about immigration. It is about voter suppression. Masked Goons sweep in on states that didn't vote for Trump. Terrorize and Murder. Steal voters and store them in detention centers not even close to where they live with no understand if and when they will be released. Even at current funding, taxpayers are paying Stephen Miller to execute a very non-American action with impunity. This will not stop no matter what guard rails are in place. When oversight demands basic evidence, DHS/ICE can simply “lose” it. 404 Media reported DHS first claimed almost two weeks of surveillance footage from inside the Broadview ICE detention center was “irretrievably destroyed,” then blamed a “system crash,” then said the critical footage was never recorded — while relying on a one-person vendor (“Five by Five”) to recover it. This is what “guardrails” looks like in real life: missing evidence, contracting to inept businesses, excuses, zero consequences. If immigration is about deportation then why can Obama deport 438,421 in FY2013 with a budget of roughly $5.3B versus roughly 340,00 in FY2025 with $28.7B at ICE's disposal (per the Brennan Center,about $10.0B base appropriations plus about $18.7B as the yearly share of the $75B over four years). If this were really about immigration, why “surge” Minnesota — roughly the #20 state for undocumented population (Pew Research) If this was an Americans law-enforcement agency they would not have hired Thugs that can mask up and do what they like to do - hurt and kill Americans, particularly brown and black.