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Jason Ward is a U.S. Merchant Marine Academy graduate and U.S. Navy veteran. He owns an industrial supply chain and logistics consulting firm with his wife. He serves as a budget committee member for the town of Cushing.
I am a Republican. I support LD 1971 and LD 1259. I call on the governor and on fellow republicans to do the same.
I am a political conservative and a veteran surface warfare officer who served in the United States Navy. I live in Knox County. I have been a member of the GOP since I could vote.
I am proud of the Maine Legislature for passing LD 1971. This bill will limit federal overreach in our local police forces and, I believe, make Maine safer for all of us.
The only thing I would change about this bill is to add Republicans to the list of sponsors. I was pleased to see that one Republican, Sen. Rick Bennett, supported this bill.
This bill is specifically aimed at keeping Maine independent from the federal government’s reckless and unconstitutional mass deportation efforts, but there is much more at stake.
I am a Navy trained judge advocate general officer. There are differences between the Uniform Code of Military Justice and criminal law, which are significant and nuanced. Nonetheless, in most cases, being out of compliance with immigration regulations is not a felony. The casual use of “criminal” as the label for someone not convicted of a felony is, I believe, ignorant and defamatory.
You know and I know that the work of immigrants built this county, and our competitive advantage in the global market relies in large part on the labor and talent we can attract to Maine. The vast majority of our immigrant neighbors have followed a lawful path to live in Maine. They are now justifiably fearful of government policy that threatens their future, and our constitutional rights.
LD 1971, and its sister bill, LD 1259, which has been carried over to the next legislative session, will protect our fellow Mainers by:
Securing the independence of our local law enforcement. Their mission should not be subordinated to federal immigration policy.
Affirming Maine’s commitment to ensure due process rights for all.
Halting the federal government’s efforts to subvert the Second and Tenth Amendments by commandeering our state and local law enforcement professionals. Make no mistake: Any 287(g) agreement between the Department of Homeland Security and state or local law enforcement agencies is an unfunded mandate. We do their work, on our dime.
These bills treat Immigration and Customs Enforcement 287(g) agreements for what they are. They essentially aim to gain control over our Maine police and misuse them as immigration enforcement authorities.
Consider this: After ICE, which federal bureau will be next to undermine the freedom and security of our state? While conservatives work to protect our right to bear arms, Washington is hacking away at the very root of the Second Amendment by co-opting state law enforcement, and federalizing state-based National Guard units. What militia could any state then muster in self-protection?
In addition, these bills could also help Maine towns avoid worsening the coming fiscal catastrophe. The property and excise taxes in Knox County and other Maine counties may soon skyrocket to make up for shortfalls in other areas due to federal government withholding of the very funding they collect from us in taxes.
Unfunded federal mandates for our state and local law enforcement add insult to injury.
Communities like ours do not need Washington delegating policy mandates to our cops. Knox County has no interest in subsidizing ICE.
Moreover, our police officers serve their communities effectively because they operate from a place of trust. Carrying out federal proclamations would likely break the “community covenant” at the town and neighborhood level. Public safety could suffer. It could be harder for our cops to fulfill their duties and responsibilities to the citizens they protect.
I call on Gov. Mills to sign LD 1971 into law. I call on my fellow Republicans to support LD 1259, when they get the chance, likely next year. Enough is enough: Let us start acting in the best interests of Maine’s economy, workforce, and communities.
