Former Judges Demand ICE Stay Away from Courthouses (And Apologies to Dr. Seuss)

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) goes to greater lengths than any other law enforcement agency to be sensitive in how it carries out its duties. The agency refrains from arresting illegal aliens near schools, houses of worship, and other locations in deference to those institutions and what they stand for.In recent years, advocates for illegal aliens have sought to bar ICE from carrying out enforcement activities in courthouse – you know, the sort of places where criminals show up after they’ve been arrested for committing crimes. And, since in many jurisdictions around the country, local governments refuse to honor ICE requests to hold deportable criminals they’ve arrested for other offenses, ICE has been forced to arrest them as they come out of court.Some judges – folks in black robes who have sworn to honor and uphold laws – have gone so far as to aid and abet criminal aliens in their efforts to evade ICE officers waiting to take them into custody. Elsewhere, activist prosecutors have chosen to drop charges against defendants rather than risk having them picked up by ICE when they show up in court.And, on Dec. 12, a group of 70 former state and federal judges sent a letter to Acting ICE Director Ron Vitiello asking him to further constrain ICE’s activities out of concern for their impact on “the administration of justice and public safety.” We are still waiting for the 70 former jurists to pen a letter to sanctuary jurisdictions asking them to honor ICE detainer requests so that ICE does not need to arrest people at courthouses. We expect it will be a long wait.Absurdity, of course, is the hallmark of our era. So, 70 judges objecting to a law enforcement agency enforcing laws in public places dedicated to ensuring that law are enforced should come as no surprise. When it came to addressing social absurdities, no one did it better than the late Theodore Geisel. And so, with apologies to Dr. Seuss and those who may love Green Eggs and Ham, we offer this response in verse:We are former state and federal juristsWhen it comes to illegal aliens we are puristsWe treat them as special guests and welcome tourists Do not arrest them near a schoolDo not arrest them in a poolDo not arrest them at all we say, that simply is not cool Do not arrest them at a churchDo not arrest them when they perchDo not arrest them at all we say, because that’ll leave them in a lurch Can we arrest them in a hall?Can we arrest them at the mall?Can we arrest them at a ball? No we say, you cannot arrest them in a hallYou cannot arrest them at the mallYou cannot arrest them at a ballWe do not like you, ICEWe do not think you’re very niceYou cannot arrest them at all Can we arrest them at the courthouse?Can we arrest them if they’ve really been a louse?Can we arrest them if they’ve done something really bad?Can we arrest them if they’ve made someone really sad?Can we arrest them when they’ve been sprung from jail?Or if they’ve just been released on bail? No we say, you cannot arrest them at the courthouseBecause you, not they, are the louseNot even if they’ve been really badBecause if you do, we’ll be really madJust let them go on their wayYou cannot arrest them any day We do not like our immigration laws, you seeSo, even if they’ve been on a crime spreeWe say you must let them go freeFormer state and local judges, are weSo leave the illegal aliens alone, we decree