By Ray Cardello for February 22, 2026, Season 34 / Post 23

One facet of the job of Congressman or Senator in America is that you are elected to represent every constituent, not just the ones who write you checks or vote for you. But in this increasingly partisan country, the politicians forget the sum of the parts and concentrate on just those who butter their bread: their donors and supporters at the polls. The reason I am writing an open letter is that none of my three federal reps care to respond to my emails or faxes. Oh, they have plenty of offices and staff, but I am an R, and they are Ds, which means I am insignificant.

This past week, both Chris Pappas and Jeanne Shaheen posted ads on TV and online about ICE coming to New Hampshire. This is where both begin misrepresenting the people of NH. First, they make the generalized statement that everyone in NH wants to protect the rights of all residents. Wrong, many of us want to protect the rights of all legal residents and citizens, but do not see how illegals qualify for any rights and privileges of Americans. They go on to say that ICE is neither needed nor wanted by all residents in the state. Wrong again. If we have an issue with illegals, especially illegals with serious crime records, most of us want them out, period. We do not want illegals in our schools, hospitals, or working at the local grocery store, if they are taking the place of a resident.

All politicians, Pappas and Shaheen included, have confused the role of ICE. If ICE comes into the state with the purpose to rid the state of dangerous people and getting the cooperation and protection of local law authorities, then there are no issues. It is when police are told to stand down, and protesters are told to take to the streets, that a second level of ICE gets involved to protect the apprehension team. This is where the conflict begins between ICE and the local protesters, but all can see that if we get to that level, it is due to the actions/inactions of the local politicians. These folks who put the laws in place now have a difficult time accepting the feds enforcing them.

Why the Left is so intent on protecting all illegals has become quite obvious. First, it is job security. The more illegals that come into the state, the more representation is needed in Congress. Illegals are counted on the census, and it is that count that determines the number of Representatives for each state in Congress. The second is the vote. As politicians become more creative with how people can register to vote, the more illegals are slipping onto the voter polls. In many states, illegals are being issued state driver’s licenses at the same time these states are passing laws that you can register to vote by simply showing your driver’s license. It is a violation of federal law for city and town clerks to ask the status of anyone registering to vote. If they have the proper ID, then they are registered, and of course the cherry on the sundae for the Left, they pull the D lever.