1. United States
2. Utah
3. Letter

A recent NPR/Ipsos poll reveals a troubling reality: while 61% of Americans believe the United States should be a moral leader globally, only 39% believe it actually is one. This represents a steep decline from 2017, when 60% viewed our nation as a moral leader. Americans across the political spectrum want moral leadership, but we are failing to deliver it. Recent events demonstrate why this perception has deteriorated. On January 8, 2026, ICE officer Jonathan Ross shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good while she was inside her car in Minnesota. The FBI has taken over the investigation, meaning the federal government is the only entity investigating a shooting committed by its own agent. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has questioned the fairness of this arrangement. A second shooting by a Customs and Border Patrol agent in Portland injured two people, prompting the mayor to call for an end to all ICE activity in the area. Vice President JD Vance confirmed that immigration agents in Minneapolis were going door-to-door to find undocumented migrants, an unusually broad strategy. Experts suggest these shootings could be a devastating side effect of this approach, and such incidents appear to be becoming more frequent as immigration crackdowns intensify. The administration's handling of January 6 defendants further erodes moral credibility. Despite Vice President Vance stating the administration would not pardon defendants convicted of assaulting police, one of President Trump's first acts was granting full pardons to most defendants. The administration then deleted a government database containing cases linked to the attack. I urge you to demand independent investigations of shootings by federal immigration authorities, oppose door-to-door immigration sweeps that endanger public safety, and support accountability measures that restore America's standing as a moral leader. Your constituents deserve leadership that reflects our values, not policies that undermine them.