Friend –

The ACLU of Texas recently obtained documents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) – the nation's largest federal law enforcement agency – that reveal it deployed federal agents and authorized the use of deadly force at George Floyd's burial.

This breaking news follows further disturbing reports of forced sterilizations, total disregard for COVID-19 precautions, and other abuses against people within ICE detention centers during the pandemic.

It's all a part of ICE and CBP's long history of racism, abuse, violence, and human rights violations. And while we've been working tirelessly for years to hold these rogue agencies accountable, Congress has been providing billions in funding for them. No more. We're calling for this to end and need your help.

In the face of the deadly coronavirus, the House has shown a willingness to move on this issue. That's why we can't let up right now: Send a message to Congress and demand they defund ICE and CBP.

ACLU Supporter, an unprecedented amount of our taxpayer money is funneled to these two DHS sub-agencies every single year – all to help carry out Trump's anti-immigrant agenda.

In 2020 alone, nearly $23 billion in funding has enabled ICE and CBP to:

• Increase the use of force and inflict further abuse against detained people, including sexual abuse by ICE staff
• Conduct mass surveillance of Black Lives Matter protests and George Floyd's burial service
• Detain tens of thousands of immigrants in unsafe detention centers during COVID-19 without even the most basic safety supplies – including masks and access to tests
• Waste emergency funds meant for immigrant care for dog food and dirt bikes – instead of food and medicine for detained children

Imagine if we used even a portion of those funds for COVID-19 relief. And that's just this year. It doesn't account for family separation, raids in our communities, the subjection of U.S. citizens to dehumanizing searches and detentions – the list of abuses goes on.

The ACLU will not let up on our litigation and advocacy to protect immigrants from this shameful system. But lives are still at risk, and to achieve lasting change, we must take this fight to Congress.

Let's make sure they hear us loud and clear: Tell Congress to defund ICE and CBP now.

Thank you for taking action,

Madhuri Grewal
Federal Immigration Policy Counsel, ACLU