Federal Agencies Handcuffed a U.S. Senator and a Staff Member for a U.S. Representative

In the past two weeks, the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies, including the FBI, have significantly escalated their attacks on civilians - not only on everyday people, but also on members of the U.S. Congress and their staff members.

For the full story, read on. But here's what it amounts to: official members of the U.S. federal government handcuffed a Senator for asking questions at a press conference, indicted a Representative over a protest, and detained a Representative's staffer for correctly rebuffing ICE attempts to search a Congressional office without a warrant.

Congress is a co-equal branch of government. The Constitution guarantees its authority to question, check, and balance the other branches. It deserves respect - and protection. The executive branch has no right to attack members of the legislature and their staff. Sign the petition to demand an investigation and an immediate end to this escalation!

On May 28, staff members for Representative Jarrold Nadler, a member of Congress representing New York, as well as advocates for immigrants' human rights, witnessed ICE agents detaining migrants. Rep. Nadler's Manhattan office is located within a larger building that also houses an immigration court. His staff members then invited the advocates into the Congressman's office.

That's it. The staffers and advocates committed no violence. There were no riots. No weapons. They were peaceful, in full compliance with the law, and simply exercising their First Amendment rights, or doing their jobs.

However, ICE agents took offence. They stormed up to Rep. Nadler's office and demanded entrance to a private inner area so they could conduct a search for "rioters." A video shows one ICE agent declaring "You're harboring rioters in the office," and trying to force his way in. As Rep. Nadler recounts, "One of my staff members said, 'You can't come in here, you need a warrant.' They said, 'No, we don't need a warrant,' which is incorrect." At that point, the agent pushed his way inside anyway and when an aid resisted, they arrested her and detained her.

Then, just 2 weeks later, federal agents were at it again - but this time, arresting an actual member of Congress. Alex Padilla, the senior U.S. Senator from California, attended a Homeland Security press conference in Los Angeles, where he attempted to ask Secretary Kristi Noem a question. A video shows him saying: "I'm Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary."

But he never got an answer to his questions. Instead, agents with the Secret Service and FBI rushed at him and began to restrain him and shove him out of the room. The Senator remained non-violent, yet they dragged him from the room, then forced him onto the floor. Three federal agents hovered around his body as they pulled his arms behind his back and handcuffed him. All for asking a question.

And just days earlier, the U.S. government indicted yet another member of Congress - Rep. LaMonica McIver, a Democrat from New Jersey - regarding a protest outside an immigration detention facility in her home state.

These are all official actions taken by genuine members of U.S. law enforcement agencies - ICE, the FBI, and the Secret Service. These are not actions from fringe, unauthorized vigilante groups. Meanwhile, individuals they targeted - members of Congress and their staff - did absolutely nothing wrong. They had broken no laws, committed no crimes. All they did was ask a question at a press conference, attend a protest, and correctly demand a search warrant.

We cannot stay silent in the face of these escalations. Silence will not make this situation better, and it will not protect democracy. We must speak out, immediately. The rule of law is under attack and we must raise our voices to support the Constitution and democracy!

Sign the petition to demand an immediate end to these targeted attacks against members of Congress, and an investigation into these unconstitutional federal actions!