(Washington, DC) – The African American Mayors Association (AAMA), the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) today signed on to a joint statement demanding immediate reform and accountability for Department of Homeland Security operations in American cities ahead of today’s federal funding deadline.

Signed also by mayors of major U.S. cities—including Minneapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Boston, New Orleans, Denver, Portland, and Savannah—the statement urges Congress to condition any new DHS funding on a 10-point reform framework requiring identifiable federal agents (no masks), body-worn cameras, judicial warrants for entries, and protections for sensitive locations such as schools and hospitals. It further presses Speaker Johnson and Leader Thune to adopt these guardrails ahead of the February 13 funding deadline, emphasizing that DHS should not receive new funding unless they commit to enforceable reforms.

The joint statement comes in response to a pattern of aggressive federal enforcement actions in cities across the nation, including the tragic deaths of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis—Renee Good, a mother of three, and Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse—killed by federal law enforcement agents.

Please find the joint statement linked here.

“Mayors are entrusted with protecting the safety, stability, and trust of the communities we serve,” said Savannah Mayor Van R. Johnson II, President of the African American Mayors Association. “Public safety is strongest when it is grounded in accountability, transparency, and respect for constitutional rights. When federal enforcement operates without identification, oversight, or coordination with local leadership, it undermines that trust, creates fear, and weakens the very partnerships that keep our cities safe.”

Mayor Johnson continued, “The African American Mayors Association stands united in calling for meaningful reform and clear accountability standards for federal operations in our communities. Professionalism and transparency do not hinder law enforcement; in fact, they legitimize it. As Congress considers federal funding, we urge leaders to ensure that resources are conditioned on common-sense guardrails that protect civil liberties, preserve local authority, and strengthen the trust that public safety depends on. Our cities cannot accept policies that create fear instead of safety. Accountability is not optional; it is essential to a just, constitutional democracy.”

“Effective immigration enforcement and civil liberties are not mutually exclusive. With clear standards, training, and accountability, both can and must co-exist,” said Dwayne Crawford, Executive Director of NOBLE. “NOBLE stands ready to work collaboratively with Congress, federal agencies, and community stakeholders to advance policies that strengthen public safety while upholding the dignity and rights of all people.”

“Public safety requires transparency, coordination, respect for constitutional rights, and ensuring that funding decisions include safeguards that protect local governance and civil liberties,” said Marcia Conner, Executive Director of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA). “Accountability isn’t a barrier to effective governance,it’s the foundation of lawful, resilient, community-centered government.