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An Open Letter

To: Sen. Collins, Rep. Pingree, Sen. King

From: A constituent in South Portland, ME

July 14

Rein In ICE I am writing as your constituent because I have had enough. In the past week, ICE agents have fatally shot two men — Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston on July 7, and a 26-year-old Colombian man in Biddeford, Maine on July 13. Neither was the person ICE was looking for. In both cases, DHS’s justification rests on a claim that the victim “weaponized” his vehicle — a claim local officials in both states have openly questioned, and one that cannot be verified because the agents involved were not wearing body cameras. This is despite DHS’s own pledge in February to “rapidly” deploy body cameras nationwide after two previous fatal ICE shootings of U.S. citizens. Five months later, agents involved in two more fatal shootings still didn’t have them. This is not acceptable. I am asking you to: 1 Demand full transparency from DHS on the status of the body camera rollout, including a public timeline and an explanation for why agents conducting high-risk vehicle stops still don’t have them. 2 Support an independent, thorough investigation into both shootings — not just DHS’s own Office of Inspector General, but with real cooperation with state and local investigators, who have reported the federal government withholding evidence. 3 Hold ICE accountable for a pattern, not just two incidents. This is at least the ninth death since this administration’s immigration enforcement escalation began, and it keeps happening to people who aren’t even the intended targets. ICE is operating with impunity and no accountability. Congress needs to act — through hearings, oversight, and real consequences — before more people die.

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