Open Letter to Emilia Sykes (OH-13)

Your voting record since the beginning of the second Trump administration has stood in sharp
contrast to the will of your constituents. In particular, we members of Akron DSA find three issues
on which your stance has not only ignored the will of the people, but actively aided and abetted the
will of the current fascistic regime:

1. Your vote in 2025 to thank ICE and repeated calls to reform an institution that fundamentally
   resists reform,
2. Your votes throughout your term to continue funneling our tax dollars to the Israeli Defense
   Force,
3. Your vote to denounce socialists who dare to defy the current administration by identifying its
   sins at their root: the private ownership of the means of production and the capitalist class that
   profits from violent occupation.

Following the murders of Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and Keith Porter by ICE, it has become an
unavoidable fact of reality that ICE murders US citizens and destroys communities. With temporary
protected status ending for Haitians and Somalis on February 3rd and an expected ICE surge in
Springfield, we are facing ever increasing risks from an unaccountable, militarized force coming
into our communities, particularly the Black community and other communities of color.

While you vote to thank ICE and denounce socialists at home, you have also continued to
support violence of an even greater magnitude against the Palestinian people on Palestinian soil.
Nevertheless, it is us socialists in your district putting ourselves in danger to prepare your
constituents for ICE attacks. Furthermore, we have ceaselessly advocated to end the Israeli
occupation of Palestine, whose technologies and tactics are being used on Ohio soil in the
occupation of our communities by ICE. Be it cowardice or malice on your part is immaterial: it is us
putting out the fires that you help light.

As more of your constituents are battered and bruised at the hands of the instigators you
bankroll; as we move closer to the upcoming midterms; we here at Akron DSA will continue to
remind them of this voting record. However, we recognize the power in personal change. As such,
we encourage you to rectify this voting record in 3 parts:

1. We ask that you move to abolish ICE, and center the complete abolition of ICE in your
   communicating and campaigning.
2. We ask that you reject Israeli lobbyists, divest from Israel, and vote against H.R.7178 which
   deepens the US and Israel’s partnership in violence.
3. We ask that, instead of giving the Trump administration more ammunition for his McCarthyist
   crusade, you support those organizations putting in the hours for the communities you represent
   when you cannot deign to do so yourself.

Sincerely,
Akron DSA
30 Jan, 2026.