1. United States
2. Kan.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose funding for the Department of Homeland Security when Congress takes up the issue in the next two weeks. The recent spending package signed by President Trump in February 2026 deliberately excluded DHS funding, creating a critical opportunity to reconsider how we allocate resources for immigration enforcement and federal law enforcement. The deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis have exposed serious problems with Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. Rather than rushing to fund an agency that has demonstrated such failures, Congress should take this moment to fundamentally reassess whether DHS deserves continued funding in its current form. The two-week deadline provides a natural checkpoint for this evaluation. Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged that "the real fight begins over the Homeland bill," signaling that even Republican leadership recognizes DHS funding requires serious scrutiny. President Trump privately agreed to this stopgap with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer specifically to defuse escalating national debate over ICE. This suggests even the administration understands the current approach is unsustainable. A DHS shutdown would not leave us defenseless. The Transportation Security Administration and Federal Emergency Management Agency would continue essential operations under existing protocols. What would stop is the funding stream for immigration enforcement tactics that have proven both deadly and divisive. The recent spending bill successfully funded three-quarters of government agencies while protecting critical programs like the National Institutes of Health, Pell Grants, and election security grants. This demonstrates Congress can make thoughtful funding decisions that prioritize what truly serves constituents. DHS funding deserves the same careful consideration, not a rubber stamp. I urge you to vote against any DHS funding package that comes before Congress in the next two weeks. Use this deadline as an opportunity to demand accountability and reform, not business as usual.