1. United States
2. Ore.
3. Letter

I am writing as a constituent to urge you to formally call for an independent investigation into the Department of Homeland Security’s immigration detention practices and to publicly oppose the creation or expansion of large-scale detention centers in our state and across the country. DHS and its component agencies have a documented history of deaths in custody, allegations of abuse, denial of medical care, and civil and human rights violations. These issues are not isolated or historical—they reflect systemic failures in oversight, accountability, and standards of care. Expanding detention capacity through massive new facilities does not address these underlying problems. It risks amplifying them. No government agency should be permitted to operate large, opaque systems of confinement without rigorous, transparent, and continuous oversight. Communities deserve clear answers about how detainees are treated, how facilities are monitored, how complaints are investigated, and what enforceable standards exist to prevent abuse and neglect. I urge you to: - Call for an independent, third-party investigation into DHS and ICE detention conditions, deaths in custody, and civil rights compliance. - Oppose funding, authorization, or siting of new or expanded detention facilities. - Support alternatives to detention that respect due process, human dignity, and community-based solutions. This is a matter of fundamental rights, public accountability, and the values we claim to uphold as a nation. I ask you to use your office to ensure that no expansion of detention occurs without transparency, legal safeguards, and true accountability to the public. Thank you for your time and for your service. I look forward to your response.