Dear friend, 

Over the last few days, many people have reached out to me about the violent occupation of Minnesota. Like you, I have watched the videos of the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. I saw the photos of ICE detaining 5-year old Liam Conejo Ramos and the conditions in immigration detention facilities around the country. It’s hard to think of anything else after you see it.

The violence happening in Minnesota is sadly not unprecedented. Nor is the surveillance of dissenters. But the way the federal government is using our personal data to surveil is deeply concerning. Minnesota is an ugly testing ground for what could happen in our backyard. And, there are likely more horrors happening that we don’t know about, especially in immigration detention facilities.

What’s happening goes beyond just hatred of immigrants. It is about undermining our civil liberties, our democracy, and our elections. It’s about control and power and making people feel scared to stand up and show up for each other.

It is scary, but I find hope in the people of Minnesota, who have marched in freezing temperatures and inspired actions across the country. And I’m motivated by the fact that states are not without recourse and can act to protect their people. I have co-sponsored legislation to unmask ICE agents, ban ICE from Pennsylvania state property, limit state and local police from cooperating with federal immigration authorities, and allow Pennsylvanians to bring state lawsuits against federal officials for constitutional violations. I’m also looking towards other states to see what more we could do.

We know that legislative change with Republicans in control of the PA Senate is highly unlikely, but legislation is not the only way to make change. We can make change together, and I promise to be with you in that fight.

In Solidarity,