As the Trump administration continues to intensify its stance on immigration policies, fear and insecurity continue to spread among local immigrant and racially diverse populations. In response, Ogden mayor Ben Nadolski has taken a firm, nonpoliticized stand to protect the emotional and physical well-being of his people. His stand, though taken at a local level, signals to the world that the U.S. still respects immigrant populations and human rights of individuals.
Established in 1996, ICE’s 287(g) program authorizes local police to aid the federal government in immigration enforcement. Under Trump, the program expanded significantly as local police departments were encouraged and pressured to adopt firm and aggressive immigration strategies. According to the National Immigration Law Center, these strict methods harm American security and prosperity, which leads to a decline in the United States’ global reputation.
Despite the suffocation of this program, Mayor Nadolski has affirmed that the local Ogden Police Department will not enforce any sort of immigration law. He has assured the city that local police will never ask for immigration status and that victims do not have to be frightened to report a crime or an emergency. As Nadolski stated on a recent Ogden City Government Facebook post, “We will continue to use the Constitution as our compass and will protect the people of our city without prejudice or political agenda.”
Nadolski’s refusal to cooperate with ICE does more than protect local residents, it projects a broader global commitment to human rights. His actions help repair America’s soft power by demonstrating that local governance can uphold civil liberties even when national policy wavers. Each local step toward acceptance and equality builds to promote healthier societies and inter-state relations. As we come closer to aligning with the global standard of human rights, we honorably protect the same principles we have long stood for as an American nation.
Elly Carlton, Ogden
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