1. United States
2. Neb.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to vote against the current Department of Homeland Security funding bill. The deadline is Friday at midnight, and this vote will determine whether Congress continues to fund ICE enforcement operations that have proven dangerous and unaccountable. The fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday demonstrates exactly why ICE should not receive continued funding. Pretti was a 37-year-old ICU nurse who served veterans. His death at the hands of federal agents is not an isolated incident but rather evidence of a systemic problem with how ICE conducts enforcement operations. As Senator Patty Murray stated, this was "an execution" that demands investigation and accountability. The current funding package provides ICE with continued funding at current levels. This is unacceptable given the pattern of aggressive tactics and lack of accountability. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto correctly identified the core problem: undertrained, combative federal agents operating on our streets with no accountability. I understand this funding package includes important provisions for child care, mental health, housing assistance, and Pell Grants. However, these necessary programs should not be used as leverage to force through ICE funding. The solution is to decouple DHS funding and vote on it separately, allowing support for vital domestic programs while defunding ICE operations. The fact that Republicans already passed a one-time $170 billion infusion for immigration enforcement means there is no justification for providing additional resources to an agency that has demonstrated it cannot operate safely or lawfully. I urge you to stand with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the growing number of senators opposing this measure. Vote no on any appropriations package that includes ICE funding, and demand that DHS funding be separated so ICE receives zero taxpayer dollars.