1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

As a constituent, I’m deeply alarmed by the U.S. bombings of small boats in the Caribbean and Pacific. For months, the Trump administration has ordered these strikes under the vague claim that the vessels “intended” to traffic drugs into the United States. More than 80 people have now been killed, and the administration has provided zero legal justification for any of these actions. Reports show that Secretary Pete Hegseth personally oversaw the killing of civilians. His “no quarter” order is explicitly illegal under both U.S. and international law. The people on those boats were not engaged in any armed conflict with the United States, and they posed no imminent threat. Instead of confronting this, the administration is trying to spin these killings as a public-health measure that “saves Americans from overdoses.” Instigating unauthorized violence and using U.S. resources to carry out unlawful killings does not keep families safe. It does not prevent overdoses. It does not serve any legitimate national interest. It simply drags the United States into lawless, open-ended violence with no accountability and no public benefit. This administration will continue to claim broad authority to label anyone a target and order lethal force without evidence, oversight, or legal basis unless you act. I am urging you to demand an immediate, public investigation into these killings, the chain of command behind them, and the legal justifications the administration claims to rely on. Members of the Foreign Affairs and Judiciary Committees, in particular, have a responsibility to act urgently.  I look forward to your response and to your leadership on this.