Editorial: Transparency matters on ICE agreement

Did Springdale do the right thing in signing an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement without voting publicly or placing it on an agenda?

It is hard to say yes, even if you agree with the partnership.

For one thing, it wasn’t just hidden from residents. Springdale Manager Terry Carcella also was left in the dark, which helps explain why he didn’t include the agreement on a meeting agenda before it was signed in November.

Councilman Dan Copeland chairs the public safety committee. He called the decision “operational” and said he didn’t believe a vote was necessary.

At the Nov. 18 meeting, following Copeland’s committee report, a motion was brought to establish a police K-9 program, including creating a nonprofit organization for support. This also seems operational, yet it was placed on the agenda and received a public vote.

Copeland cited “recent security concerns” as a reason for the K-9 program. He likewise cited tensions around the proposed data center as a reason to avoid agitation with the agreement. Council gave approval to that project Tuesday over community objections.

It is sometimes understandable to try to avoid a difficult conversation. But understandable doesn’t necessarily mean right.

For example, it is understandable that a parent might want to save a child the grief of knowing the family dog died. That leads to the clichéd story of Buster going to live on a farm.

However, sooner or later, the truth comes out and the lie has consequences. Not only has the child missed the chance to grieve and learn a valuable life lesson, but trust has been damaged. What the child has learned is that a parent will withhold truth to make a situation easier.

An agreement between government agencies is common. PennDOT will enter into agreements with municipalities to trade services when it makes sense. If a stretch of state road lies between two city roads, it could save everyone time to rely on one pass of a plow. That agreement still gets spelled out on paper and voted on at a meeting.

Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association law counsel Melissa Melewsky says it should have been open and without a public vote can be legally challenged.

There is no excuse for Springdale not knowing this could be an issue. Bucks County already is facing controversy and court appearances over a similar agreement between the sheriff and ICE that was entered without approval from the county commissioners.

ICE and interagency cooperation is a hot topic amid deportations, visa challenges and an overall contentious immigration climate.

Springdale didn’t avoid that issue by not having a vote. It compounded it. Treating the residents like children who can’t handle the truth — even with good intentions — is not just unfair. It’s untrustworthy.