1. United States
  2. Ore.
  3. Letter

Freedom of Speech Ends where 24/7 Surveillance Begins - Halt this Now

To: Rep. Salinas, Sen. Merkley, Sen. Wyden

From: A constituent in Sheridan, OR

October 7, 2025

I write as a constituent deeply concerned by reporting that ICE is seeking to build a 24/7 social media surveillance team to monitor posts, profiles, photos, messages, and other “open source” content, converting them into intelligence for enforcement operations. (wired.com) This poses a serious threat to civil liberties, free speech, and privacy. I urge you to oppose this overreach and support legislation, oversight, or funding restrictions to block it. --- Key Concerns 1. Chilling free speech When people know they’re constantly watched, they self-censor and withdraw from public debate. 2. Overbroad targeting Algorithms misinterpret context, satire, or criticism, flagging people unfairly. 3. Lack of oversight Heavy reliance on contractors and automated tools risks unchecked errors and abuse. 4. Expansion risk What starts with immigrants could easily spread to activists, journalists, or communities of color. 5. Data aggregation Linking social media with commercial datasets builds invasive dossiers without warrants. --- I Urge You To Support legislation prohibiting mass social media surveillance without warrants and strict oversight. Demand hearings and transparency on contracts, vendors, and algorithms. Block funding for these operations. Require strict constraints: no scraping private communications, no secret profiles, independent audits, protections for speech and whistleblowers. Engage communities in assessing harms before any program proceeds. --- The balance between security and liberty must not tilt so far we give up rights that define us. Surveillance of this magnitude, especially targeting speech and association, is incompatible with constitutional values. Please do all you can to stop this before it begins. Thank you for your time and service. I would appreciate knowing your position and the steps you’ll take.

Share on BlueskyShare on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInShare on WhatsAppShare on TumblrEmail with GmailEmail

Write to Andrea Rose Salinas or any of your elected officials

Send your own letter

Or text write to 50409

Resistbot is a chatbot that delivers your texts to your elected officials by email, fax, or postal mail. Tap above to give it a try or learn more here!