This Is the Moment the Appropriations Power Was Designed For

I am writing to you as a constituent to urge you in the strongest possible terms to use the power of the purse to constrain federal law enforcement actions that have resulted in the deaths of American citizens, serious injuries to lawful residents, and the disappearance of individuals into a deportation pipeline with no meaningful due process. Specifically, I am asking you to consider allowing the current continuing resolution for all federal agencies to expire without replacement until binding, enforceable limits are placed on immigration enforcement operations. I recognize this is a maximal position. I am advocating for it deliberately. The strategic logic is straightforward: passing clean appropriations for other agencies while isolating DHS surrenders leverage. Republicans can accept funding for Defense, HHS, Education, and other priorities while protecting DHS from any constraints whatsoever. The only way to force a genuine negotiation over DHS oversight is to bundle that demand with must-pass items. A partial shutdown over DHS alone allows the administration to wait you out. A full funding lapse creates unified pressure that requires a comprehensive resolution. I understand the costs. A shutdown means delayed tax refunds, furloughed federal workers, closed national parks, and interruptions to services that millions of Americans depend on. These are real harms. But the administration is the party choosing to let those harms continue rather than accept oversight of agents who have killed American citizens on American soil. The framing matters: you are not shutting down the government; you are refusing to fund it until the executive branch accepts constitutional constraints on its use of force. The abuses we are witnessing are not administrative overreach or policy disagreements. People are dying. People are being maimed. People are vanishing, regardless of their legal status, regardless of whether they have committed any crime, and in at least two recent cases, regardless of whether they are American citizens. Alex Pretti was a nurse, a veteran caregiver, a lawful gun owner, and a citizen. He was killed by federal agents in broad daylight while filming them with his phone. Renée Good was a citizen killed by federal agents earlier the same month in the same city. These deaths are a direct consequence of funding decisions that prior votes provided. The power of the purse exists precisely for moments like this. The framers understood that the legislative branch needed leverage over an executive that exceeded its authority. You have that leverage now. Passing full-year appropriations is not a neutral act—it is an affirmative choice to fund these operations for the remainder of the fiscal year. Every vote to approve DHS funding under current conditions is a vote to enable what comes next. I recognize you may ultimately pursue a different tactical approach, and I am not privy to the internal considerations that will shape that decision. But I am asking you to ensure that the maximum-leverage option remains on the table and that the pressure you apply reflects the gravity of what is happening. The voices urging caution and compromise are loud and well-resourced. I am writing to make sure you also hear from constituents who are watching American citizens die at the hands of federal agents and wondering why anyone in Washington is acting like this is normal. This is not normal. This is the moment the appropriations power was designed for. I am asking you to use it. Thank you for your time and consideration. I am available to discuss this further at your convenience.