Last week, the Mercer Island Reporter published an opinion piece by a community member titled “Thoughts on immigration enforcement and public reaction.” The piece addressed polarization, the rush to judgment, and the importance of legal process. But these topics cannot be separated from the human costs of current immigration enforcement tactics.

The U.S. should be a nation of laws, not men, and I agree that caution before rushing to conclusions is generally a virtue. But this is a time for choosing. We can choose to support human dignity and the protections of the Fourth Amendment. Or we can accept warrantless searches and arrests without due process or legal restraint. There is little middle ground between these positions.

Reasonable people can argue that the United States has, at times, inadequately enforced its immigration laws. And, of course, deportation and detention have occurred under multiple administrations. But suggesting an equivalence between historical enforcement practices and today’s activities ignores important differences in tactics and current disregard for due process. Masked men, often not in uniform or lacking visible identification, asserted to be in possession of “absolute immunity,” threaten us all.

Even if we could convince ourselves that Lunas Campos, Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and others who have been killed are somehow responsible for their own deaths, we are still left with deeply troubling realities. How do we justify the mass deportation of thousands of people without trial, often to countries where they have never lived? How do we defend the removal of legal immigrants for trivial or decades-old offenses? How do we accept armed ICE agents, sometimes masked and in paramilitary gear, operating in our communities with alleged full immunity for any misdeeds?

The op-ed posited that “the people bearing the immediate costs appear to be protesters and federal agents.” While some protesters and agents have indeed suffered, focusing primarily on them overlooks the tremendous costs borne by immigrants, their families, and even U.S. citizens who have been ripped from their homes and communities. Many live with constant fear. Not because of anything they have done, but because of the language they speak or how they look. These are the people paying the highest price, and they must be centered in this conversation.

About 26% of Mercer Island residents are foreign-born, and 40% of those residents are not U.S. citizens. Roughly 11% of our population does not have U.S. citizenship. Their safety and dignity matter. So do the fears of those who worry that they may be targeted next because of their race, ethnicity, language, or faith. And so do the people who may not live here but work here.

In my first year on the City Council, we adopted a resolution affirming our commitment to reject “stigma and bias against individuals because of race, ethnicity, place of origin, physical ability, socio-economic status, gender identity, sexual orientation, age or religion.” The resolution also urged community members to “treat each other with respect and work together to overcome all expressions of hate and bigotry.” Opposing immigration enforcement tactics that undermine human dignity and constitutional protections is one way we can live these values.

Respect for process does not require silence in the face of injustice. Nor does it justify ignoring cruel, illegal, or unconstitutional actions by immigration enforcement agents. I urge all Islanders to join me in standing for the U.S. Constitution, the rule of law, and the fundamental dignity of every person who calls our community home.

Craig Reynolds is a Mercer Island City Councilmember. He writes here in his personal capacity and not on behalf of the Mercer Island City Council or the City of Mercer Island.