Apparently, because of the American Civil Liberties Union, public outcry and our top elected state politicians, the Camden Police Department had to rescind its 287(g) agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. I thought any government or state elected official in the United States must take an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution and the bylaws of this country. With that in mind, I can’t understand how the governor of Delaware can sign a bill that prohibits ICE and our state and local police departments from enforcing the Immigration and Nationality Act. After looking into this law, I discovered that it governs illegal entry into the United States — also known as “improper entry” or “unlawful entry” — which is a federal offense. This is published in Title 8, Section 1325 of the U.S. Code and in Section 275 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
Improper entry includes crossing U.S. borders at undesignated locations, eluding examination by customs personnel and attempting to enter or obtain entry through false representations or concealing facts. This means that actions like lying on visa applications or using fake documents are also considered attempts for improper entry. Regardless of the ACLU or public outcry or political opposition, it’s the law! What’s the sense of having laws if no one is going to uphold them. I commend our Camden Police Department for trying to uphold the laws of the land. It’s too bad that public outcry and political figures can circumvent written laws in this country with the stroke of a pen.
Kevin Register
Camden
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
