1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to actively support U.S. accession to the International Criminal Court and to use California’s political influence to press this issue at the federal level. This is an urgent matter of law, accountability, and moral credibility. At this moment, U.S. courts are not sufficient to guarantee justice for the gravest crimes. Our legal system is being openly undermined by a federal administration that shows disregard for constitutional limits and the rule of law. Enabled by the president, ICE agents are literally murdering peaceful, unarmed American citizens in the street with no sign of accountability. When domestic accountability mechanisms are weakened or corrupted, the impunity and deadly, tragic escalation only grows. We are watching it happen in real time. History makes abundantly clear where this path leads. The International Criminal Court exists precisely for these moments. It is a court of last resort, designed to address war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide when national systems fail or refuse to act. Refusing to participate does not protect American sovereignty. It isolates the United States from the very legal norms we have long claimed to champion. The United States cannot credibly call for accountability abroad while exempting itself at home. That double standard damages our standing, weakens international law, and signals to other governments that power, not justice, determines consequences. Becoming an ICC signatory would be a clear statement that no one is above the law, regardless of office or nationality. California has long positioned itself as a leader when federal institutions falter. I ask you to continue that tradition by advocating publicly for ICC accession, supporting congressional efforts in that direction, and using your office to push back against the normalization of lawlessness at the highest levels of government. This is a defining moment. Silence and delay are choices, and they carry life and death consequences. I urge you to act with the seriousness and resolve this situation demands.