Date: February 12, 2026
Thank you for your recent letter regarding New Brighton's position on federal immigration enforcement. We found it illuminating. To ensure we understand your principle correctly, we'd like to propose a simple thought experiment.
From your letter:
"When fear takes hold, people are less likely to call 911, report crimes, or seek help when they need it most, and that undermines the safety of everyone."
"We are deeply concerned about current federal immigration enforcement tactics and the harm they cause to community trust and public safety."
We understand your argument:
Meet Sarah. She's a single mother working in New Brighton. Her shift ends at 3:00 PM, and her son's basketball game starts at 3:15 PM across town. She promised him she'd be there—he's starting tonight.
For the past three years, Sarah has driven 90 mph on Long Lake Road to make it to his games on time. She's never gotten a ticket. She's never caused an accident. She's never harmed anyone.
Today, New Brighton Police pull her over.
Sarah explains: "Officer, I understand I was speeding, but I promised my son I would be there. If you give me this ticket:
Please don't enforce traffic laws against me. Think of my innocent child."
After all, by your own stated principle:
| Element | Sarah (Speeding) | Immigration Enforcement |
|---|---|---|
| Parent's Choice | Drive 90 mph to keep promise | Enter/stay illegally to seek opportunity |
| Duration | 3 years without consequences | 10+ years without consequences |
| Harm Caused | None (no accidents) | None (law-abiding otherwise) |
| Children Affected | Yes—innocent son faces trauma | Yes—innocent children face separation |
| Enforcement Creates Fear | Yes—prevents 911 calls from cars | Yes—prevents 911 calls from immigrants |
| Family Separation | Yes—job loss leads to homelessness | Yes—deportation separates families |
| Your Position | Enforce traffic laws ✗ | Don't enforce immigration laws ✓ |
If "enforcement undermines community trust" and "affects innocent children" are valid reasons to stop enforcing immigration law, then New Brighton must immediately stop enforcing:
| Law | Creates Fear? | Affects Innocent Children? | New Brighton Enforces It? |
|---|---|---|---|
| DUI Laws | ✓ | ✓ (parent arrested = foster care) | ✓ YES |
| Speeding | ✓ | ✓ (job loss = homelessness) | ✓ YES |
| Drug Possession | ✓ | ✓ (incarceration = separation) | ✓ YES |
| Occupancy Codes | ✓ | ✓ (eviction = displacement) | ✓ YES |
| Minimum Drinking Age | ✓ | ✓ (teens won't call 911 for poisoning) | ✓ YES |
| Federal Immigration Law | ✓ | ✓ (deportation = separation) | ✗ NO (you refuse) |
What makes immigration law different from every other law where:
The answer: Nothing.
Except your political opinion about that specific law.
Option A: Stop enforcing ALL laws that "create fear" and "affect innocent children"
Option B: Admit that "affecting innocent children" is NOT your actual standard for enforcement
Mayor Niedfeldt-Thomas, please conduct this experiment:
What will Mexico do?
Would you call Mexico's enforcement "deeply concerning"?
Or do you understand that sovereign nations enforce their borders, and you simply believe America shouldn't?
Your letter isn't about community trust.
It isn't about family separation.
It isn't about innocent children.
It's about selective law enforcement based on political preference.
You enforce:
You refuse to enforce:
That's not principle. That's politics.
Should New Brighton Police stop giving speeding tickets to parents rushing to their children's games, because enforcement might result in job loss, eviction, and family trauma for innocent children?
YES or NO.
There is no escape from this logic.
Either all laws that affect innocent children should go unenforced, or you admit this is purely about immigration politics.
The speeding parent rushing to her child's basketball game exposes your entire argument as intellectually bankrupt.
Since New Brighton has decided that time + lack of harm + sympathetic circumstances = immunity from federal law enforcement, we'd like to announce our own selective enforcement policies:
Effective immediately, concerned citizens will no longer cooperate with:
We are deeply concerned that New Brighton's aggressive code enforcement tactics cause harm to community trust. When fear of citations takes hold, residents are less likely to engage with city services or report neighborhood issues.
We've created a "New Brighton Tax & Code Resistance Resources" webpage where you'll find:
We encourage you to share these resources with neighbors, friends, or family members who may need them.
After all, if you can pick which laws to enforce based on political sympathy, so can we.
In Partnership,
Residents Who Notice When City Governments Are Full Of It
P.P.S. We await your response explaining why our selective enforcement is wrong but yours is principled.
We'll be checking our mailboxes for consistency. Don't worry—we promise not to speed while driving there.
Sincerely,
Citizens Who Believe Laws Should Apply To Everyone,
Not Just The Politically Unfavored
Published: February 12, 2026
Logic Score: Unrefuted
Mayor's Response: [Pending]