URGENT: Constitutional Crisis and Fatalities at Texas Detention Facilities

I am writing as your constituent to demand an immediate congressional investigation into the abysmal conditions and rising mortality rates at the Camp East Montana facility at Fort Bliss, as well as broader detention operations in Texas. Recent investigative findings from April 2026 describe a severe failure of humane governance that cannot be reconciled with our nation’s legal standards. As we evaluate the Rule of Law in these facilities, I urge you to acknowledge the following documented facts: - Systemic Failure of Care: Reports indicate "squalid" conditions, including severe overcrowding and flooded facilities where standing water is mixed with raw sewage. - Documented Mortality: As of April 28, 2026, at least 17 people have died in ICE custody nationwide this year—a rate of roughly one death every six days. At least seven of these deaths occurred in Texas facilities within the last few months. - The Non-Criminal Reality: While the administration frames these camps as necessary for national security, 70.8% of individuals held in ICE detention (over 42,000 people) have no criminal conviction on record. This is not a disagreement over tactics; it is a systemic deficiency that results in a clear disparate impact on the civil liberties of individuals based on their status. Furthermore, the use of industrial warehouses and tent cities not designed for human habitation represents a structural failure of the rule of law. In addition to a formal investigation, I expect you to utilize your Article I authority to: 1. Exercise the Power of the Purse: Support appropriations riders that specifically defund tent city facilities and warehouse conversions that fail to meet Performance-Based National Detention Standards (PBNDS). 2. Codify Accountability: Support legislation requiring judicial warrants for all immigration arrests, ensuring a neutral magistrate checks executive discretion. 3. Restore Due Process: Mandate and fund legal counsel for all detained individuals to address the current lack of transparency and due process. I will be monitoring your actions on these issues as a litmus test for your commitment to the 4th and 14th Amendments.