1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

As a lifelong Texan and a former registered Republican, I am writing to demand that you vote against any DHS funding this week. I stopped registering as a Republican the moment Donald Trump became the nominee in 2016, and the madness we are seeing daily from the Department of Homeland Security confirms that decision. Taxpayer dollars must be withheld until DHS provides transparent answers for the killing of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were American citizens protesting ICE operations in Minneapolis. The department must specifically answer for the abduction of five-year-old Liam Ramos and the staggering loss of humanity that represents. Using a child as bait before whisking him away to a detention center is a direct violation of the values our country is supposed to stand for, as is the ongoing separation of families. Furthermore, DHS must answer for the recent memo suggesting they can invade homes without a judicial warrant, which is a direct assault on the Fourth Amendment. It is unacceptable for this agency to target immigrants who are following the law, including those with protected asylum status and pending cases. DHS must de-escalate and return to the rule of law before receiving another dime of funding. As a constituent who values the Constitution and the principles of limited government, I expect you to hold this agency accountable and protect our fundamental rights.