1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

Estela Ramos Baten died of stress and fear after being deported with her daughter Nory to Guatemala, where she had fled after being brutalized by gang violence, despite working with the system and attending a routine immigration check-in. Her daughter has used the money they saved to appeal their deportation for the burial instead, and their family in Los Angeles is terrified to go out because ICE has carte blanche to attack and abduct anyone who doesn’t look the right way. PLEASE, do not let Senate Democrats make a budget deal or continuing resolution that does not put real checks on this terror. Temporarily stopping healthcare cuts, even assuming Trump does not overturn whatever deal is made, is not enough when people are being killed by this administration. The courts are ultimately hamstrung by the six rogue Trump Supreme Court justices - only Congress can uphold Constitutional protections. If Republicans will not do their duty then Democrats cannot be complicit in another deal - it’s better to shut down the government than let it go further out of control.