To the Journal editor:

I am horrified by what the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S.Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) are doing this in this country and I believe that the majority of Americans do not support their brutal operations.

We have an opportunity right now to insist on proper regulation of ICE and CBP.

Congress needs to approve funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by January 30th, and the senate needs 60 votes to pass the DHS budget.

Since ICE and CBP are in the DHS, if all democratic senators work together, they can demand that proper regulations are put on ICE and CBP or refuse to vote yes on the DHS funding bill.

Please contact U.S. Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Gary Peters and insist that both vote NO on any increase in ICE funding, and that they vote NO on the DHS funding bill unless specific conditions, such as the following, are met:

1) Restrict ICE and the CBP from conducting dragnet operations which target people based on race, language, etc.

2) End Border Patrol deployment in U.S. cities

3) Limit DHS’s reprogramming and transferring funds for detention etc.

4) Require that ICE agents go through rigorous training – at least six months – that includes de-escalation training

5) Require ICE to wear identification IDs and NOT be masked

6) Stipulate that agents who harm civilians are liable under criminal and civil law

7) Prohibit ICE agents from carrying guns. If they are threatened, they should contact local or state police for assistance.

More than 70% of people detained in the past year had no criminal record and many people who had convictions committed only minor offenses including traffic violations. In 2025, 32 people died in detention centers. Recently, two people were shot in Minneapolis by agents, and one, Renee Good, died.

It is crucial that Slotkin and Peters help the senate hold the line and insist on proper regulations of these agencies. If five democratic senators do not hold the line, the DHS funding bill will pass and ICE and CPB will be funded without reining in the abuses.

I also hope both Slotkin and Peters will publicly decry the actions of ICE and CPB and demand full investigations into the abuses that have occurred in the past year.

Please contact the senators and insist that they protect the country from this brutality.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin 1-202-224-4822

Sen. Gary Peters 1-202-224-6221