In cities across the Commonwealth, disturbing scenes are unfolding: masked individuals are seizing people from the streets and forcing them into unmarked vehicles—detaining them without granting access to legal counsel or even a phone call. These chilling tactics evoke the “little green men” Russia deployed in Crimea, and they have no place in a democratic society governed by the rule of law.
The aggressive actions taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) do not make our communities safer. Instead, they foster an atmosphere of fear and mistrust. The Constitution guarantees due process to every person on U.S. soil, regardless of citizenship status. But under President Trump’s mass detention and deportation agenda, we are witnessing a profound erosion of this fundamental right.
What’s more, ICE has apprehended people without judicial warrants in private spaces unlawfully, and even detained and deported U.S. citizens. These are not isolated incidents – they are symptoms of a system that increasingly disregards justice.
We in Plymouth County have particular cause for concern. Our sheriff [Joseph McDonald] remains the only one in the Commonwealth willing to house ICE detainees [in Plymouth] under these troubling conditions. This is not just morally questionable – it exposes our county to potential legal liability and civil suits.
It is time for residents to demand accountability. We must tell our sheriff: our community will not be complicit in violating the Constitution. We deserve better, and so do the people whose lives are being upended by these practices.
– Robert Antall