I am writing to you today as a concerned constituent to express my profound frustration with the current trajectory and conduct of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), specifically Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Recent reports of attempted entry into the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis are deeply alarming. Such actions demonstrate a fundamental lack of training regarding international law and sovereign boundaries. A consulate is not American soil; for federal agents to attempt entry without explicit permission is not only a diplomatic failure but a sign of an agency operating without clear constitutional guardrails.
Furthermore, the tragic shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti highlight a systemic failure in training and field discipline. When officers operate while masked or attempt to intimidate citizens from filming in public spaces, it erodes public trust and suggests an abandonment of transparency. The reported deployment of these agencies to high-profile civilian events like the Super Bowl and the Olympics further underscores a "mission creep" that distracts from their core mandate.
I am requesting that you take the following legislative and oversight actions:
-- Restrict Funding for Interior Operations: Utilize the power of the purse to limit the use of DHS funds for enforcement actions in non-border American cities until a comprehensive audit of current field protocols is completed.
-- Establish Broad Congressional Oversight: Support legislation that requires DHS to provide transparent, real-time reporting to the Judiciary Committee regarding all operations to ensure that all directives are legal and conform to statutory mandates, and that agents are not operating in any jurisdictions where they lack clear constitutional authority.
-- Mandate Re-vetting and Training: Propose a "Professionalism Standards Act" requiring all ICE and CBP officers to undergo immediate re-vetting and intensive training on constitutional law, de-escalation, and jurisdictional boundaries.
-- Enforce Executive Boundaries: Call for a formal inquiry into the White House’s current directives for these agencies to ensure the executive branch is not exceeding its constitutional boundaries at the expense of civil liberties.
I am asking you to demand the IMMEDIATE withdrawal of these units from non-border interior cities until Congress has ensured that their mandate is clearly defined and their leadership is held accountable. Our agencies must reflect American values of law, order, and respect for sovereignty.
I look forward to hearing about the specific steps you will take to address these critical issues.
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