Camarillo, CA – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley held a press conference outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office in Camarillo. Joined by faith leaders, community organizers, and fellow elected officials, Congresswoman Brownley condemned the brutality and lawlessness of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations across the nation. Below are Congresswoman Brownley’s remarks as prepared:
“Across faiths, backgrounds, and convictions, there is a shared teaching that guides us in moments like this: we are not measured by what we claim to believe, but by how we treat one another – especially when people are hurting, afraid, or under threat. That teaching is why we are here today.
“I want to begin by thanking the faith leaders, community organizers, local elected officials, and neighbors who have come together today in solidarity. Your presence reflects the strength of this community and our shared commitment to stand with one another in a moment of deep pain and moral urgency.
“What we are witnessing in this country, and in communities from Minneapolis to right here at home, is heartbreaking. Families are living in fear. Lives have been lost. And many of us are struggling to reconcile the violence and cruelty we are seeing with the values we hold close.
“For many of us, this has been a time of prayer, reflection, and turning to our faith and conscience for guidance – because what we are witnessing is not just political failure, it is a moral one.
“Recently, Pope Leo spoke to the world and reminded us of the words from the Gospel of Matthew. He said that at the end of the world, the Lord will ask a simple and piercing question: How did you treat the foreigner? That question reaches beyond any single faith tradition. It speaks directly to our shared humanity and to the responsibility each of us has in this moment.
“We are a community made up of many faiths, many traditions, and many beliefs. And standing here today, it is clear that we are united by much more than what divides us. We are united by a shared belief that every life has worth, and that we cannot stand by quietly or passively while brutality goes unchallenged.
“All people deserve to live in safety, free from fear and free from violence at the hands of their own government. That is why I have stood against funding for an agency that has operated without meaningful oversight or accountability and that has, far too often, inflicted harm and terror on communities across this country.
“And “we the people” are rejecting this abuse of power and demanding real change.
“This moment demands action – not words alone. We are demanding concrete reforms to rein in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, restore accountability, and end these lawless practices. We are demanding that Kristi Noem be fired. We are demanding an end to warrantless arrests, stopping raids in places of care and refuge like churches and schools. We are demanding transparency and the unmasking and identification of federal agents. We are demanding humane conditions in detention centers and an end to the detention and deportation of U.S. citizens, asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants without due process.
“And we are demanding that those responsible for violence and wrongdoing are held fully accountable, including at the highest levels of leadership.
“This is a turning point. And we are here today because our faiths, our values, and our conscience demand that we meet this moment with courage, unity, and resolve.
“And let me say this clearly: the observers, the protesters, and the people of conscience who are showing up and speaking out: you are necessary. You are essential. You are answering a moral call with courage.
“We cannot and we will not normalize this brutality. We will not allow the story of who we are to be defined by ugliness or fear. We will write a different chapter – one rooted in justice, compassion, and accountability. And we will not be silent until humanity prevails.”
Photos from the press conference can be found here.
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Issues: 119th Congress, Immigration