Immigration enforcement and civic responsibility

By Angela Thompson, Mt. Pleasant

Sanpete County’s immigration controversy illustrates how quickly public discussion becomes accusation. Families are frightened, officers are vilified, and headlines circulate faster than verified facts.

Immigration’s human dilemmas are familiar. From Chaplin’s The Immigrant to Flower Drum Song and Jupiter Ascending, popular culture has depicted the struggle to build a life in another country. Understanding that struggle does not settle the legal question.

I am an unapologetic believer in the rule of law. Our immigration system is imperfect, and its failures deserve serious attention. But a country cannot maintain an orderly immigration system if enforcement becomes unacceptable whenever it causes hardship.

The desire for a better life is understandable. So is the desperation of someone escaping poverty, violence or hopelessness. Those circumstances deserve compassion. They do not, by themselves, establish a right to enter or remain in another country.

The recent surge strained an already troubled system. President Biden’s June 2024 proclamation acknowledged record border encounters and failures to provide timely relief or consequences.

Officers now shoulder responsibilities political leaders have inadequately resolved. It is reasonable to question a particular arrest or tactic. It is unreasonable to assume that everyone wearing an ICE badge is malicious.

Enforcement also serves public safety. Enforcing immigration law does not require waiting for another offense, and lawful local cooperation can make enforcement safer. Transferring someone already held in jail provides a controlled setting, reducing the need for arrests in neighborhoods or workplaces. Refusing cooperation can shift enforcement into the community.

Traffic stops could have been a reasonable approach in the Sanpete operation, provided the stops had a lawful basis and any subsequent detention met applicable legal requirements. Chief Gray said local officers conducted traffic stops while accompanying ICE agents handled immigration matters. That description alone establishes neither misconduct nor that every action was justified.

Questions remain about the grounds for individual stops, the reasons for detention and the tactics used. Those questions deserve specific answers, but uncertainty should not be treated as proof that officers acted improperly.

Citizens have responsibilities, too. It is a historical absurdity that, with original records often only clicks away, we readily settle for unexamined headlines. Read reports, compare official records, check dates, and distinguish allegations from findings. Official sources also deserve scrutiny.

Most of all, social media should not become our authority on truth. Popularity and political agreement cannot verify an accusation. Repeating one carelessly can harm neighbors and officers alike.

Due process matters, but a ruling about procedure does not necessarily establish a right to remain. Having lived where carrying identification and money for a possible bribe was prudent, I appreciate orderly government and lawful protections.

My deepest concern is for children brought here without choosing the journey. They deserve a serious legislative solution. Meanwhile, compassion can provide food, transportation, childcare and reliable information to affected families. Condemn threats and violence, including from political allies. Expect professionalism from officers and honesty from ourselves. We can enforce immigration law and treat people with dignity.