Statement on Events in Minnesota

Monday, January 26, 2026

Along with millions of Americans, we are watching with horror the events in Minneapolis unfold. On Saturday, a second U.S. Citizen was senselessly gunned down by federal agents as spokespeople for those agencies lied to the American public about the events surrounding the slaying.

Today, those named below in Ontario County Democratic Committee supports Sen. Chuck Schumer’s position opposing any funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) while their agents continue to terrorize our cities. This unconstitutional assault on both residents and citizens is unacceptable. Secret DHS documents confirm what we already know: they are authorizing their personnel to go in WITHOUT judicial warrants, a clear violation of our Fourth Amendment rights. They are violently suppressing peaceful protestors, violating our First Amendment rights. Now they have slaughtered a legal gun owner who showed NO sign of violent behavior, violating his Second Amendment rights.

Minnesota police are calling the situation “chaos” and “unsustainable.” Police Chiefs report explicit racial profiling by federal agents of their own police officers. Educators report children being seized and used as tools in the effort to capture and detain legal residents.

DHS is an agency that is out of control, led by those who are breaking the law. It must be restrained immediately. Incidents have already happened in our region and we are very concerned.

Our tax dollars must not be used to support this assault, and Congress should seek pathways to ensure that local, independent investigations are conducted. Federal agents who break the law must be held accountable.

Signed,

The Executive Committee and Leaders of The Ontario County Democratic Committee

John Hurley, Chair

Maria Bucci, Vice Chair

Thomas White, Treasurer

Elizabeth Yockel, Secretary

Thomas Lyon, City of Canandaigua

Mary D’Amico, Town of Manchester

A.J. Magnan, Town of Bristol

Lisa Moore, Town of South Bristol

Nancy Napurski, Town of Bristol

Karen White, City of Canandaigua