1. United States
2. Mass.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to take immediate action to stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement from conducting unlawful raids and detaining people across the United States, practices that are terrorizing both immigrant and U.S. citizen communities. ICE has dramatically escalated enforcement operations that violate constitutional protections and harm constituents. These raids often occur without proper warrants, with agents entering homes, workplaces, and public spaces in ways that violate Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. Communities report agents conducting sweeps in residential neighborhoods, surrounding homes without judicial warrants, and detaining people based solely on appearance or perceived immigration status. These tactics create an atmosphere of fear that affects entire communities, not just immigrants. The raids have resulted in the wrongful detention of U.S. citizens, minors, green card holders, DACA recipients, veterans and their families, people with disabilities, and medically vulnerable individuals. Since October 2025, ICE has implemented policies making it nearly impossible for detained individuals to secure release except through death or deportation. In July 2025, ICE issued a memo declaring that anyone who originally entered without permission cannot request release on bond, directly contradicting existing law. While the immigration appeals court agreed with this position in Matter of Yajure Hurtado on September 5th, dozens of federal district courts have rejected this interpretation. At least 20 people have died in ICE detention since this administration took office. About 80 percent of detained individuals lack legal representation, making it nearly impossible to challenge unlawful detention. ICE has abandoned policies that previously limited enforcement against vulnerable populations including pregnant women and primary caregivers, and now routinely appeals Immigration Judge release decisions, keeping people detained even when judges determine they should be freed. These practices separate families, destabilize communities, and undermine constitutional protections that apply to everyone in the United States. I urge you to use your oversight authority to stop these unlawful raids, hold ICE accountable for constitutional violations, and protect all constituents from these terrorizing enforcement practices.