Stop ICE. Protect Health.

On January 26, 2026, Save HHS released the following public letter to the United States Senate:

As current and former Department of Health and Human Services staff, we are deeply shaken by the execution of our colleague, Alex Pretti, on January 24, 2026. This loss of life reflects a growing public health crisis as a result of the actions of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). We cannot pursue our mission to improve the health and well-being of all Americans while DHS agents are murdering, assaulting, and terrorizing people who call this country home.

As a Veterans Affairs nurse, Alex took the same oath we did: to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Like Alex, we are compelled to speak out against threats to our nation. We call on members of Congress to immediately halt all Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations until these agencies justify their activities to Congress and the American people. Further, Congress must refuse funding for ICE or CBP until the following conditions are met:

  • ICE and CBP immediately halt the invasion of American cities,

  • ICE and CBP submit to independent investigations, and

  • ICE and CBP adopt new protocols that do not violate the Constitution.

The Senate is set to vote this week on final appropriations bills, which may be bundled to include DHS, HHS, and other federal agencies. If the bill fails to pass by January 30, many of us will be placed in unpaid furlough status and barred from providing essential services that support the health and well-being of the American people. We believe ICE and CBP are a greater threat to the health of our nation than the lapse of HHS services.

ICE now poses a clear threat to the health and safety of our communities. Families are skipping medical appointments, going without food, and keeping their children out of school for fear of abduction, deportation without due process, or violent assault. U.S. citizens also fear for their safety and well-being when ICE or CBP are present. For these reasons, we oppose any appropriations bill that does not include the restrictions above.

We urge you to act in the best interest of the American people.

We submit this statement in our personal capacities, on our personal time, and without the use of government resources, as protected by the First Amendment.

Media Contact: media@nationalphc.org