In an appeal to the executive branch, members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus asked for a stay of enforcement of the Secure Communities Program on Thursday backing several state and local governmental attempts of rejection.
Previously voluntary, the Department of Homeland Security now mandates state and local government obedience in upholding the policy. Although the program was enacted in 2008 attempting to deport “convicted serious criminals”, Secure Communities has consequently imprisoned many undocumented immigrants without a criminal charge.
The FBI screens fingerprint data for criminal background information that is then forwarded to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE. Under Secure Communities, detainees are printed at local jails for immigration checking.
On Wednesday, the Illinois state government addressed its participation in the program, pushing for cessation of its contract. Similarly, California is proposing legislature for modification on its agreement concerning Secure Communities under the threat of permanent withdrawal. It is unclear whether the federal government will secede to the demands of both states. However, the state’s objection to the program will not cease scans of Illinois data, according to federal officials.
According to The Los Angeles Times, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn demanded that ICE officials recognize the limits of the state’s withdrawal. He said, “No new counties in Illinois can be activated, and those counties that were previously activated for their information to pass through ISP to ICE, must be deactivated and removed from the Secure Communities program."
Meanwhile, Congressional pressure for analysis into the programs constituents continues to rise. Last week, U.S. Rep Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose) called the ICE and Homeland Security’s efforts purposefully beguiling to local and state governments and Congress petitioning for investigation.
Regardless, the Department of Homeland Security declared nationwide implementation of Secure Communities by 2013 despite the attempts of opposition. They claim the program is “information sharing between two federal agencies” and does not require local or state approval.
Previously, San Francisco and Santa Clara counties have been unsuccessful in their efforts to back out of the program.
No comments:
Post a Comment