Hello friend,

Last week, a U.S. citizen – and mother of 3 – was brutally murdered by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. 

It is a horrifying tragedy – one that was both predictable and preventable. My heart breaks for her family, her loved ones, and a community now grieving a loss that never should have occurred. 

For months, armed ICE and CBP agents have been roaming American cities, detaining and assaulting U.S. citizens with little to no accountability. Warnings were raised. Evidence was presented. And yet, the abuse continued – until it turned deadly. 

This is not an isolated incident.  

Last month, I held a spotlight forum in D.C. to shed light on the alarming trend of U.S. citizens being illegally detained, mistreated, and even assaulted by federal immigration agents – oftentimes with those citizens having valid proof of their citizenship.

So what did we expose at this hearing?

• School superintendent Wilmer Chavarria was detained, interrogated for hours, and searched because he visited family overseas.

• Dayanne Figueroa was sideswiped, violently pulled from her car, and detained, simply for going to work.

• Javier Ramirez was assaulted, held for days, and denied treatment for diabetes.

• U.S. Army veteran George Retes was arrested and detained while attempting to enter his workplace, forcing him to miss his daughter’s birthday with no contact with his family.

Now, we have to add what happened in Minneapolis to this list – an inevitable consequence of allowing lawless conduct to go unanswered. This is why I am committed to holding ICE and the administration accountable, ensuring transparent oversight, and passing reform to protect the people living in our nation. 

We must stand together and be firm. The same spirit that unites us in moments of tragedy like this now calls on us to defend other Americans from experiencing these same abuses of power. I will continue sounding the alarm in Congress, public hearings, and national media. Sign my petition to stand with me:

Thank you for joining me in the fight to uphold the freedoms granted to us centuries ago.

Yours in service,
Dick