Congress Must Halt Unchecked Immigration Enforcement Abuses

Uncontrolled Immigration Enforcement Threatens Civil Liberties I write to you as a deeply concerned American alarmed by mounting evidence that immigration enforcement agents are detaining U.S. citizens as well as immigrants with no criminal records. These actions are unjust, un-American, a misuse of federal power, and a vast waste of resources. I urge you to take immediate action to bring oversight, accountability, and firm limits to ICE and other immigration-enforcement operations. Documented Cases of Citizens Being Wrongfully Detained Recent reporting has documented cases in which U.S. citizens were tackled, questioned, or detained solely because of their appearance, language, or where agents assumed they did not belong. One widely reported case involved a teenager born in the United States who was chased and seized by masked agents demanding to know where he was born. Other reports show citizens held for hours or days without access to family or legal counsel. These practices are incompatible with constitutional principles. ICE Arrests Reveal Misaligned Enforcement Priorities Federal data also show that a substantial number of individuals swept up in recent ICE actions had no criminal convictions or charges whatsoever. Despite public claims that enforcement is focused on dangerous offenders, the evidence shows that a large share of arrests involve people who pose no threat to public safety. Wrongful detentions waste resources, erode public trust, and violate fundamental civil liberties. Congress Must Establish Clear Oversight and Limits For these reasons, I respectfully urge you to take all appropriate steps to: 1. Launch a full congressional inquiry into ICE and DHS enforcement practices, criteria, training, oversight, and wrongful detentions of U.S. citizens. 2. Establish statutory limits that prevent detention of citizens or lawful residents without probable cause and a warrant, and prohibit enforcement actions based solely on appearance, language, or perceived national origin. 3. Require detailed, publicly available reporting on all stops, arrests, detentions, and any instances involving U.S. citizens or lawful residents. 4. Condition any expanded funding for immigration enforcement on demonstrable accountability, civil-liberty protections, and independent oversight. 5. Guarantee due-process rights for all individuals, including prompt access to legal counsel, clear notice of charges, and the ability to challenge detentions swiftly. These Abuses Must End These abuses must stop. No American should live in fear of being detained by their own government because of how they look or sound. Immigration enforcement must operate within the bounds of the Constitution, respect civil liberties, and use taxpayer resources responsibly. I urge you to act now to bring these agencies under control and protect the rights and dignity of all people in this country.