I have the loved ones of Renee Good in my heart. She was killed in this week's shooting in Minneapolis. This tragedy shows just how dangerous the militarization of our cities is, especially when ICE officers are not all well trained to operate in the urban settings where the Administration has deployed them, including otherwise peaceful residential neighborhoods. Our local police are well versed in crowd control, deescalating conflicts, and limiting the use of force to the level they are confronted with.  

We cannot and will not ignore what we all saw. Renee was trying to drive away from the officer, not run him over. That may not have been the right response to his command, but they could have recorded her license plate and later followed up with appropriate discipline. Instead, they shot her in the head, and then prevented her from getting medical attention! This video analysis contradicts the Trump Administration’s claims of self-defense. Warning: this video contains graphic images and language.  

The Administration’s response has been outrageous. Vice President Vance, DHS Secretary Noem, FBI Director Patel, and others are trying to rewrite the facts and tell Americans not to believe our own eyes - including video of the shooting – and what we saw right in front of us. The FBI’s refusal to work with Minnesota investigators is deeply troubling. Agencies that are meant to be beacons of justice have been politicized into a shield for abuses of power under President Trump. And this Administration that refuses to admit any mistake also shows absolutely no compassion for a dead American mom and her orphan son.  

In November last year, I introduced the Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act to make our communities safer with stronger standards for federal immigration agents' use of force. Among other things, my bill:  

• requires mandatory use of body and vehicle cameras 
• requires de-escalation and prevents agents from using force unless there is no reasonable alternative 
• strictly limits the use of masks
• requires officers to render medical aid as necessary 

It’s time for Congress to move on our bill. If the officers in Minnesota had been required to follow these standards, Renee Good might still be alive today. I'll always work to keep our communities safe and ensure our law enforcement officers operate with transparency and responsibility.

Let’s be clear—Maduro was an illegitimate leader who caused immense suffering for the Venezuelan people. I hope now that he has been captured, he is brought to justice. I don’t buy for a minute the pretext that this was about drug trafficking. Fentanyl doesn’t come from Venezuela and the cocaine sent from there goes to Europe. And if the President cared about justice for drug kingpins, he would not have pardoned former Honduras President Hernandez, who was convicted by an American jury, beyond a reasonable doubt, of moving 400 tons of cocaine.   

This is about showing power and extracting oil and gas. President Trump said so himself -- that he plans to seize Venezuelan oil, sell it, and control the money. Experts say it could take a decade and billions of dollars to restore Venezuela’s maximum oil output.  

But this action will have consequences and costs. It risks prolonged instability in the region and unpredictable escalation. It undermines Venezuela’s democratic opposition movement at a time when Maduro was more isolated than ever. Most of Maduro’s regime remains in power and is now engaging in even worse repressive behaviors. Does that mean we will have to police the region ourselves? 

President Trump said he’s “not afraid of boots on the ground,” but 72 percent of Americans are concerned the U.S. will become too involved in Venezuela. In San Diego, a proud military community, we know better than most the costs of military action for our servicemembers and their families back home. But now, President Trump has left the American people indefinitely responsible for Venezuela at a time when most Americans struggle to pay their grocery, medical, and energy bills.  

If President Trump truly believes in “America First,” why is he paying so much attention to Venezuela?  

Last year, I voted for the War Powers Resolution to reaffirm that the president does not have the authority to take military action in Venezuela. The Senate advanced bipartisan legislation yesterday that would force President Trump to seek congressional approval before taking any new military action in Venezuela. I’m glad that a number of Republicans are expressing their concern, and I look forward to voting for it in the House. 

Read my statement from Saturday here and watch a recent interview I gave on the topic below.  

• Worth a listen: with special guest Bill Kristol, this episode of The Bulwark Podcast dives into the likelihood of bad outcomes following the military action in Venezuela. 

• This article examines how the people of Venezuela are contending with the fallout of President Trump’s military action.