Doug Robinson: One standard for safety, one standard for democracy

To The Daily Sun,

Illegal immigration and human trafficking go hand in hand when border enforcement breaks down. That’s why federal and local agencies collaborate to dismantle exploitation networks and protect vulnerable children. If we strip away their ability to act without offering a better alternative, we don’t just create chaos — we invite it by design.

Meanwhile, states like Illinois, Massachusetts and California, have made a habit of weakening law enforcement’s ability to protect communities. They limit cooperation with immigration authorities, add mandates that bog down proactive policing, and treat border enforcement as a political inconvenience. Then they criticize states that act decisively. When public safety conflicts with party image, they choose optics over children.

And those same states silence voter choice through gerrymandering. Massachusetts invented the term. Illinois redrew its congressional map to lock in a partisan advantage. California’s so-called independent commission has faced scrutiny for favoring incumbents and preserving single-party rule. When someone controls the map and muzzle dissent, they’re not defending democracy — they’re hijacking it.

Let’s be clear. If someone blocks immigration enforcement that rescues trafficking victims, and engineers elections to eliminate opposition, then they’re not protecting families — they’re protecting power.

I stand for one standard. One that defends children. One that respects voters. One that enforces the law. If critics have a better model, let’s hear it. Until then, stop attacking the ones that work.

Doug Robinson

Laconia