Protect State Sovereignty and Human Rights - Bar Local ICE Cooperation

Subject: Urgent: Protect State Sovereignty and Human Rights - Bar Local ICE Cooperation Message: I’m writing to urge you to take immediate action to protect our state’s sovereignty and the human rights of all residents by preventing local cooperation with ICE enforcement and immigrant detention facilities. States have the constitutional authority to determine how local resources are used. Our communities should not be compelled to participate in federal immigration enforcement that violates basic human rights and undermines trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. This is fundamentally about our right to self-governance and protecting the dignity of all people within our borders. I urge you to take three concrete actions: Introduce or co-sponsor state legislation that prohibits local law enforcement and government agencies from cooperating with ICE operations, sharing data, or providing resources for immigration enforcement. This legislation should establish clear penalties for violations and protect our communities from being conscripted into federal operations that conflict with our values. Exercise your existing authority to block ICE detention facilities in our state. Where facility negotiations are underway, oppose leases and purchases publicly. Use every procedural tool available to prevent these facilities from opening. Convene local stakeholders—including county commissioners, city councils, sheriffs, and facility owners—to collaboratively establish ordinances that bar cooperation with ICE and create enforceable consequences for violations. Lead a coordinated effort across municipalities to present a unified front. Our state has the power and the moral obligation to refuse participation in enforcement operations that separate families, violate due process, and create fear in our communities. I expect you to use your position to defend both our constitutional authority as a state and the human rights of all residents. Will you commit to these actions?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​