1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

The president's declaration of an 'invasion' by a Venezuelan gang to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 is a concerning overreach of executive power. This 18th century law was created during wartime and has only been used a handful of times in U.S. history, including for the unjust internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Utilizing such a sweeping wartime authority to expedite mass deportations without due process is an alarming violation of civil liberties. We should not allow the administration to bypass fundamental legal protections and constitutional rights under the guise of an inflated national security threat. Circumventing normal immigration procedures opens the door to discriminatory and unjustified deportations of vulnerable populations. The judiciary has rightly intervened to temporarily halt deportations under this order, recognizing the grave implications for human rights. I urge you to take a stand against this dangerous precedent that concentrates excessive power in the executive branch. We must protect our democratic system of checks and balances and reject policies that undermine due process and the rule of law. Expedient mass deportation should not come at the cost of our core values as a nation. Please oppose this egregious executive overreach and any attempt to dehumanize immigrants through unrestrained deportation measures.