Demand DHS Accountability Reforms in the Funding Bill

U.S. SENATE:

I urge Congress to include clear, enforceable accountability requirements in any Department of Homeland Security funding bill. DHS and ICE must be held to the same basic standards that apply to law enforcement agencies across the United States.

Specifically, I demand that Congress require the following:

Targeted enforcement and judicial warrants. DHS officers must obtain a judicial warrant before entering private property, end indiscriminate arrests, strengthen warrant standards, and verify that a person is not a United States citizen before immigration detention.
No face coverings. Prohibit immigration enforcement officers from wearing masks or face coverings during enforcement operations.
Clear identification. Require DHS officers to display their agency, last name, and unique identification number and to verbally provide that information upon request.
Protection of sensitive locations. Prohibit DHS enforcement near schools, child care facilities, medical facilities, churches, polling places, courts, and similar sensitive locations.
An end to racial profiling. Prohibit stops, questioning, or searches based on location, occupation, language or accent, race, or ethnicity.
Enforceable use of force standards. Codify reasonable use of force policies, require training and certification, and remove officers from the field during investigations of use of force incidents.
State and local oversight. Preserve state and local authority to investigate and prosecute DHS misconduct, require evidence preservation and sharing, and mandate consent for large scale operations.
Detention safeguards and access to counsel. Require all detention facilities to meet basic standards, ensure immediate access to legal counsel, allow states to sue DHS for violations, and guarantee Member access to ICE facilities.
Body cameras for accountability, not surveillance. Require body worn cameras during public interactions, regulate storage and access to footage, and prohibit tracking or databasing of First Amendment protected activity.
No paramilitary policing. Standardize DHS uniforms and equipment to align immigration enforcement with civilian law enforcement.

Congress must reject any DHS funding bill that fails to include these accountability measures and ensure that federal immigration enforcement operates within the rule of law.

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Congress is finalizing a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security, and the decisions being made right now will determine whether ICE and Border Patrol continue operating without meaningful limits or are finally held accountable.

In recent months, DHS enforcement actions have shown a dangerous escalation of violence. Federal agents have killed people during enforcement operations, including United States citizens, while operating behind masks, ignoring warrant requirements, and avoiding independent investigation when the law is violated. Funding DHS without reforms would allow this escalation to continue with taxpayer dollars.

This funding bill is where Congress must draw a clear line.

Add your name to demand that DHS funding include real accountability and enforceable limits before this legislation is finalized.

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