Dear Friends, 

Like many of you, I have watched with horror as ICE agents continue to act with impunity, refusing to exercise any restraint – leaving a trail of death and violence in their path. It needs to end now. Last Saturday, a Minneapolis resident, Alex Pretti, was shot and killed by federal agents, following the execution of Renee Nicole Good earlier this month. Whether it is families being separated by armed, masked agents here in Connecticut, or residents being killed in Minneapolis, accountability starts at the top – with President Trump and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.  

On their watch, ICE has been transformed into a secret police force, with no oversight or accountability. Thursday, I visited an ICE facility in Burlington, Massachusetts, which has processed detainees from Connecticut. I was denied entry at Kristi Noem’s direction, in violation of federal law. This facility claims to be a simple field office, but documented reporting shows they are housing detainees, forcing them to sleep on concrete floors and limiting access to showers. As a Member of Congress, I cannot in good conscience vote to approve more funding for this rogue agency that is not subject to Congressional oversight or the rule of law. We need to tear down and replace ICE with law enforcement that respects our Constitutional rights. 

View Rep. Larson’s remarks outside of the Burlington ICE Facility. 

President Trump’s immigration enforcement regime has already received an extra $75 billion slush fund from the so-called ‘Big, Beautiful Bill,’ granting them more funding than the Marine Corps’ annual budget, as well as many other nations’ militaries. They don’t need another dime! That’s why I’m supporting legislation to redirect their slush fund to lowering health care premiums and expanding access to affordable housing. Those are the real issues facing everyday Americans that Congress should be focused on. 

Rep. Larson speaks with demonstrators at the State Capitol in Hartford.  

Earlier this month, I filed articles of impeachment against Kristi Noem with Rep. Robin Kelly, to hold Secretary Noem accountable for her failed leadership at ICE and the culture of lawlessness she has overseen across the country. To keep our communities safe, I am also supporting the No Secret Police Act to prohibit law enforcement from wearing masks and require them to identify themselves, the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act to bar ICE raids at schools, places of worship, hospitals, courthouses, and social service agencies, and the Department of Homeland Security Use of Force Oversight Act to require only the force needed to carry out an arrest. We have seen how quickly ICE escalates to deadly tactics, and that must end now.  

I’ll continue to stand up for our immigrant communities and fight back against the Trump Administration’s abuses. If you or a loved one needs assistance with an immigration issue or any other federal agency, please reach out to my office at 860-278-8888. To follow what I’m working on both in Washington and in Connecticut, visit my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, or follow me on Instagram.     

Regards,

John B. Larson
Member of Congress