John,

As snow blanketed much of the country this weekend, we were jolted by another fatal shooting involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, MN, the second person killed by ICE in just a few weeks.

It was the kind of moment that stops you in your tracks—especially for those of us who care deeply about family, safety, and the kind of communities we want our children to grow up in.

I’m reaching out because these frightening, heartbreaking escalations are deeply connected to the work we do together.

First, this violence stands in stark opposition to the shared vision that drives us: safe, just, and sustainable communities where families can thrive without fear, where health, dignity, and autonomy are protected.

The tactics of ICE, from the detention of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos with his father to the hospitalization of a 6-month-old baby and other children after ICE tear gassed their family car, demonstrate the sobering reality that these policies are upending real lives, real children, and real families across communities.

Second, this moment crystalizes why our strategy remains so important: We prioritize state and local elections and support leaders at every level who protect our rights and freedoms, because city halls and state houses are often where policy actually takes shape.

As federal gridlock continues, state and local officials like governors, attorneys general, and mayors are at the forefront of defending communities’ safety and rights every day.

Thank you for working with us to support local and state-level leaders, so many of whom are responding to this moment with bravery and dignity.

In solidarity,

Sara Tabatabaie
Executive Director
Vote Pro-Choice