Over the past year, the Camarillo City Council has heard passionate public comments regarding federal immigration enforcement and ICE activity. Every resident has the right to be heard, and I respect those who come before the council to express their concerns, even when we disagree.
Unfortunately, some of the criticism directed at the council has been based on misunderstandings about both the facts and the role of municipal government.
For example, we have repeatedly been criticized for not acknowledging an ICE operation that occurred a year ago. The reality is that the incident did not occur within the city of Camarillo. We have also been criticized for not “removing ICE from Camarillo,” something no California city has the legal authority to do.
As a former United States Marine and a retired law enforcement executive, I have spent my career believing that government must exercise its authority with professionalism, restraint, and accountability. I have said publicly before, and I continue to believe, that some of the tactics employed by federal officials are troubling. Those tactics do not reflect the standards I expected from the officers I supervised throughout my career. Professional conduct and accountability should never depend on which agency wears the badge.
At the same time, leadership requires honesty about what local government can and cannot do. City councils do not control federal law enforcement. We cannot direct ICE operations, nor can we prohibit federal agencies from carrying out responsibilities assigned to them under federal law. Suggesting otherwise may be emotionally satisfying, but it is simply not true.
That does not mean we are indifferent. Compassion and the rule of law are not mutually exclusive. My wife and I chose to personally contribute to the Ventura County Community Foundation’s Community Fund because we believe helping families in need begins with personal responsibility. I challenged others who spoke so passionately to consider doing the same. Real leadership is measured not only by the words we speak at a podium, but also by the actions we take when the meeting is over.
The role of your city council is to provide excellent public safety, maintain our streets and parks, ensure a reliable water supply, promote economic vitality, address homelessness in practical ways, and be careful stewards of your tax dollars. Those are responsibilities entrusted to us by the people of Camarillo, and they deserve our full attention.
Reasonable people will continue to disagree about immigration policy and federal enforcement. Those debates belong in our democracy. But they should be grounded in facts, conducted with civility, and informed by an understanding of the constitutional roles of federal, state, and local government.
I have great confidence in the people of Camarillo. Ours is a thoughtful and compassionate community. I believe the overwhelming majority of our residents expect their elected officials to lead with integrity, respect differing viewpoints, remain faithful to the law, and focus on the responsibilities entrusted to local government.
Sir Robert Peel, regarded as the father of modern policing, taught that public trust is earned through principled service. The same is true of good government. It is not measured by the volume of its words, but by the integrity of its actions.
My commitment remains what it has always been: to serve every resident of Camarillo with fairness, respect, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law. That is the standard I will continue to uphold.
David Tennessen is the Mayor of Camarillo.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Misguided criticism of Camarillo council about ICE | Your Turn
Reporting by David Tennessen, Your Turn / Ventura County Star
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By David Tennessen, Your Turn | USA TODAY Network
