1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

I am writing to demand accountability for the fatal shootings by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis. Within a three-week period, federal agents under the command of Gregory Bovino, who led President Trump's immigration crackdown operations in the city, killed two people, including a protester. These deaths represent a dangerous escalation of force that cannot be tolerated in our communities. Secretary Kristi Noem oversees the Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE. She bears direct responsibility for the conduct of federal immigration enforcement officers operating under her authority. The fact that Commander Bovino has now left Minneapolis following these shootings suggests an acknowledgment that something went terribly wrong, yet there has been no meaningful accountability from leadership. When federal agents discharge their weapons and kill civilians on American streets, the public deserves answers. What rules of engagement are ICE agents operating under? What oversight mechanisms exist to prevent unnecessary use of deadly force? Why were lethal tactics employed against a protester exercising their First Amendment rights? These questions demand congressional investigation. President Trump's response to criticism of his hard-line immigration approach has been to double down and blame Democratic officials for chaos. This deflection is unacceptable. Federal agents answer to federal leadership, and Secretary Noem must be held accountable for the actions taken under her watch. I urge you to call for a full congressional investigation into these shootings, demand transparency about ICE's use of force policies, and hold Secretary Noem accountable for the deaths that occurred under her department's operations. Our communities deserve immigration enforcement that respects human life and constitutional rights. Two deaths in three weeks is not acceptable law enforcement practice.