The rule of law is not optional. It is the foundation of the United States. When elected officials treat immigration law as a suggestion rather than as law, they undermine the system they swore to uphold.

That is why the actions of U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Salem) demand serious scrutiny.

Moulton proudly invited Marcelo Gomes da Silva, an illegal immigrant, to attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address last month. That decision alone was a calculated political stunt meant to provoke a reaction and highlight the congressman’s views on immigration enforcement.

But the situation became far more troubling afterward.

After the Department of Homeland Security publicly noted that Gomes da Silva was in the country illegally, Moulton reportedly allowed the young man to hide in his congressional office during the speech. In other words, a sitting member of Congress appeared willing to shelter someone federal authorities say has no legal right to remain in the United States.

That raises a basic question: Are we a nation governed by laws, or not?

If immigration laws are real laws, then they must apply to everyone. They cannot apply only to ordinary Americans while powerful politicians publicly flout them for political theater.

The issue has become even more concerning after reporting by the Boston Herald revealed that Gomes da Silva is referenced in police reports involving sexual assault and juveniles. Authorities declined to release those reports because they involve minors, but the existence of the reports alone raises serious questions that demand answers.

To be clear, Gomes da Silva has denied wrongdoing and says he has never assaulted anyone. He also says he has never been contacted by police about any such accusations.

But that is not the point.

The point is that Moulton chose to elevate this individual into a national political symbol without apparently knowing — or caring — about the full background involved. He brought Gomes da Silva to one of the most high-profile political events in the country and then praised him publicly as a “great American” and “a patriot.”

That judgment now looks reckless at best.

Public officials have a duty to exercise caution before turning private individuals into political mascots. That duty becomes even more important when immigration status and law enforcement issues are involved.

More broadly, this episode illustrates a troubling pattern in the immigration debate. Some politicians appear willing to treat immigration law as illegitimate if they disagree with it. They frame enforcement as cruelty and portray those in the country illegally as heroes resisting injustice.

But the United States cannot function that way.

Immigration laws exist because sovereign nations have the right — and the responsibility — to control their borders. If those laws are flawed, Congress can change them. What lawmakers cannot do is ignore them whenever it suits a political narrative.

Moulton owes the public an explanation.

Why did he choose this individual as his guest? What did he know about Gomes da Silva beforehand? And why did he believe it was appropriate to hide someone from federal authorities inside a congressional office?

These are not partisan questions. These are questions about accountability and respect for the law.

Americans deserve answers.

If members of Congress can openly disregard immigration law without consequence, the message to the rest of the country becomes clear: the law applies only to ordinary American citizens.