Rep. Joe Miller's Statement on ICE Activity Across the Country
COLUMBUS — State Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) today released the following statement regarding the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency’s presence across the country:
“A few months from now, we will celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the founding of this great nation. In what should otherwise be a year filled with festivities and community, the last few weeks have struck terror into the hearts of so many of my constituents. There are nearly 120,000 residents in my district, and I have a sacred obligation to protect them and the Constitution that I swore an oath to uphold. The cold truth is that this administration’s usage of ICE directly endangers both my constituents, and the Constitution.
My constituents come from a variety of backgrounds. Lorain, where many of my constituents live, is proudly known as the International City. Its rich history, vibrant culture, and hard-working people are why so many call District 53 home, and why I am proud to represent it in the Ohio House of Representatives. An ever-growing number of them can no longer ignore what their eyes see, what their ears hear, and what their hearts feel. The images and sounds broadcast into our homes tell us everything we need to know about ICE's brutality.
Law enforcement, at any level, is meant to uphold the law that includes our constitutional guarantee to due process. Our local law enforcement agencies perform this task with honor, professionalism, and courage. Through rigorous training, they are qualified to protect and serve. ICE’s conduct shows anything but these characteristics. Horribly trained, unvetted, and cowardly, they assail our communities, trampling both the people they are meant to protect and the sacred document that enshrines their rights. The rule of law, the Constitution, and the natural order itself have been violated by ICE in an unambiguously un-American fashion.
ICE must work cooperatively with all professional law enforcement and uphold the constitutional rights of all people in Ohio. If true violent criminals are identified, citizen or not, they should be dealt with in a manner upholding the law. The Gestapo-like cosplay designed to divide our nation and play to the worst of our humanity must come to an immediate end,” said Rep. Joe Miller.
Recent fatal shootings of Minneapolis residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents have shaken communities across the country. Good, a 37-year-old mother of three and U.S. citizen, was shot and killed during a federal operation on January 7, 2026, in Minneapolis. Her death sparked widespread protests and demands for transparency and justice.
Just weeks later, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by federal agents during a protest in the same city - an event that has further intensified public outrage and calls for accountability around immigration enforcement actions¿across the nation.