On July 18, the House voted on House Resolution 990, titled “Supporting the officers and personnel who carry out the important mission of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.” My opponent, Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), voted “present,” siding with his boss, Nancy Pelosi.
With this vote, and his tap dancing around a question regarding his position on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in a recent interview, it’s unclear whether he actually supports this important agency. Taking a stand to support Immigrations and Customs Enforcement requires more than saying you’re in the room; it requires an affirmation on the record.
As a law enforcement entity, ICE has disrupted 40 percent of terrorist activity in our country since 9/11, arresting, on average, 10 terrorists a day. They have prevented more than 1 million pounds of drugs from finding their way to our city streets. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has rescued hundreds of victims of child exploitation and human trafficking, and saved 904 children in 2017 alone. Supporting this critical agency is a no-brainer.
While the House was debating that resolution, California’s junior senator, Kamala Harris (D-California), who has enthusiastically endorsed Carbajal, attempted to set up roadblocks in the Senate in an effort to keep senators from expressing their support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She’s also called for the abolishment of ICE. For our federal lawmakers to abstain from supporting law enforcement is shameful and spineless; calling for the abolishment of law enforcement is repugnant and dangerous. Carbajal’s proud presentation of his endorsement from Harris to voters reveals his true character; his cowardice on the House floor shows his lack of commitment to the rule of law and to the people who keep families safe at night.
Sadly, Carbajal’s vote is part of a pattern of making choices that put personal political gain ahead of the safety of our families and a prosperous future for our children.
People on the Central Coast can rest assured that this vote would have been an easy one for me. We need representation that will put people over politics. Supporting our law enforcement is the right thing to do for our families, for our children, and for our country.
This article appears in Aug 16-23, 2018.