ICE Is Not Above The Law
To the editor:
Some of the writers to this opinion page appear not to understand that everyone, citizen or not, here legally or not, criminal or not, has constitutionally protected rights. Due process is a right. Even the most despicable criminal, accused of the most heinous crimes one can imagine, has the right to due process and their day in court with legal counsel. Protecting that criminal’s rights protects everyone’s rights.
There is a major difference between tough law enforcement and illegal law enforcement. Some of what is happening under the current immigration crackdown by ICE should concern all Americans who believe that law enforcement authorities, like ICE, should honor the constitutional rights of everyone.
Recent ICE activity in La Grange has raised deep concerns about how immigration laws are being enforced, who is being arrested, and how those arrested are being processed. President Donald Trump promised that his policy on immigration would be to round up and deport the “worst of the worst.”
However, ICE has entered homes without court approved search warrants, harassed, beaten, and killed American citizens exercising their Constitutional right to peacefully protest, and arrested and sent to concentration camps illegal immigrants who have lived peacefully in American communities for years. This does not appear to be getting rid of the worst of the worst, as President Trump led us to expect.
The arrest of anyone by masked authorities in unmarked vehicles is not something that looks like America. That is especially troubling to many La Grange residents who actually support the strong policing of our borders but also believe in constitutional protections and humane treatment. La Grange residents have been outraged at the spectacle of neighbors and friends arrested, and the families of decent people broken up.
Just about everyone understands that removing dangerous criminals looks very different from arresting a father or mother who has worked here for years, paid taxes, obeyed the laws, raised children and become part of the community.
There are also serious questions about transparency and accountability. When someone is suddenly detained and transferred elsewhere to an unknown location, families and attorneys need to know where that person is being held, whether the detainee is being treated humanely and whether they have access to legal counsel.
The enforcement of immigration laws by a powerful federal agency should be marked by transparency and accountability. When ICE arrests someone they have a legal responsibility to respect due process, humane treatment and access to the legal system.
Writers to the Fayette County Record sometimes claim that those of us who want illegal immigrants treated with fairness and a respect for their Constitutional rights are advocating open borders and for the illegal immigrants to vote and receive welfare benefits. That absurd claim is a vicious lie. Criticism of ICE is not equivalent to supporting open borders. That assertion is a lazy and specious argument used to avoid confronting legitimate questions. America can enforce its immigration laws without abandoning its constitutional protections.
Immigration authorities should not hide people from their families and attorneys. People should not be warehoused in filthy or unsafe detention facilities.
We the people must hold our government accountable by voting for candidates next November 3 who support the rigorous security of our borders and at the same time believe that the rights guaranteed by the Constitution must be defended for the protection of everyone.
Vote.