In the coming days, we will be introducing a Senate Resolution affirming that rights guaranteed by the Constitutions of the United States and Pennsylvania apply to all persons within our Commonwealth and condemning incidents involving the use of deadly force by federal immigration enforcement officers.

We aim to confirm that there can be no difference of opinion about the fundamental obligation of all government officials—federal, state, and local—to uphold the U.S. Constitution and respect the human rights and civil liberties that fundamentally underpin our Democracy. This is not about policy preferences; it is about our founding principles.

The Constitution of the United States guarantees due process, equal protection, and freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures to all persons within the jurisdiction of the United States. These protections form the core of the rule of law and are not dependent on citizenship status or policy views about immigration enforcement.

Recent events have called urgent attention to how federal immigration enforcement actions are being carried out. On January 7, 2026, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers shot and killed Ren e Good, a 37-year-old Minnesotan, during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis. More recently, on January 24, 2026, ICE officers fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who worked for the Federal Veterans Affairs Administration and who was protesting and recording the presence of ICE in Minnesota. These back-to-back incidents raise profound concerns about the use of deadly force, lack of accountability, and adherence to U.S. constitutional standards in enforcement operations.

Beyond these tragic deaths, numerous reports reveal a purposeful and systemic pattern of appalling and unconstitutional interactions between federal officers and the public, including detaining adults and children without arrest; using chemical agents and physically intimidating bystanders during ICE operations; and targeting lawful observation and dissent. Further accounts describe officers conducting unlawful door-to-door searches and using young children to lure relatives into encounters with ICE, deepening public mistrust and raising critical concerns about transparency, oversight, and respect for civil rights.

The exercise of force by government agents is one of the gravest powers entrusted to the state. When that power is abused, arbitrarily applied, or unchecked by appropriate oversight, it weakens the legitimacy of law enforcement and erodes public confidence in the institutions that are meant to serve the people, safeguard their rights, and uphold the rule of law.

Every elected official and law enforcement officer in our Commonwealth and every federal official, from agency directors to officers in the field, take an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. That oath is a solemn commitment to protect the liberties and dignity of every person impacted by government action. Where agents of our government are using deadly force, excessive force, intimidation, or unlawful detention, those actions merit thorough scrutiny, transparency, corrective action, and legal punishment consistent with constitutional guarantees.

This resolution:

• Condemns the use of deadly force by federal immigration enforcement officers in incidents that raise serious constitutional and moral questions;
• Demands impartial investigations of use of deadly force by federal agents and that anyone found to have acted illegally be held accountable;
• Affirms that constitutional protections apply to all people, and that no agency or officer is exempt from the obligations imposed by the Constitution, federal law, and basic human rights;
• Calls upon federal leadership to immediately review, reform, and restrain enforcement practices that endanger the public, violate civil rights, or erode trust in government;
• Urges the United States Congress to exercise its oversight authority to investigate use-of-force standards and ensure that federal enforcement agencies operate with transparency, accountability, and fidelity to constitutional principles; and
• Reaffirms the Pennsylvania Senate’s commitment to the dignity, safety, and US constitutional rights of all people in the Commonwealth.

This resolution reflects a shared commitment—transcending policy differences—that government must exercise its authority lawfully, with restraint, and in full respect of US constitutional rights. We respectfully invite you to join as a co-sponsor.