Letter to the editor: When federal power turns inward, local silence is not neutral

I am writing as a member of this community who is distressed by recent federal immigration enforcement actions and by the silence surrounding local cooperation with them.

I am alarmed that federal enforcement actions under the current immigration operation have resulted in multiple fatal shootings of U.S. citizens, most recently the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renée Good in Minneapolis — incidents documented in video evidence and widely reported in national media. These events raise serious questions about proportionality, oversight, and accountability within agencies entrusted with public safety.

This is not an abstract debate. Fear is spreading through real communities. People are afraid in their homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods. When enforcement relies on intimidation rather than due process, it ceases to be about safety and becomes about control.

Local officials and law enforcement cannot distance themselves from this moment. If city or county resources, data, or personnel are being used in cooperation with federal operations, the public has a right to transparency and accountability. Silence is not neutrality; it is consent.

I urge this paper to scrutinize the role of local agencies, demand clarity from elected officials, and continue sustained coverage of these actions. Democracy depends on an informed public and on leaders willing to draw clear lines when government power goes too far.

Jenny Beam is a resident of Brea with a local resident with a professional background in compliance, risk management and regulatory oversight.