Thread: Abuse victims face deportation if found in I.C.E. database

Abuse victims face deportation if found in San Francisco's ICE database

By: Katie Worth 01/24/11 4:00 AM
Reporter

A woman calls police because she is the victim of a domestic violence incident. Police arrive, but the attacker accuses the woman of being the aggressor. Unable to sort out blame, police arrest both people.

Charges are dropped against the woman, but because of a new federal program that The City has been forced to participate in, her fingerprints are sent through a federal database.

Federal immigration officials find out she is an undocumented immigrant who they have been trying to deport and demand the sheriff keep her in custody.

Within weeks, a victim of domestic violence is being deported because she reported the incident to police.

That precise scenario has played out at least three times in recent months in Northern California, according to Angela Chan, a San Francisco police commissioner and immigration attorney. She and other local law enforcement officials worry such cases will deter the reporting of domestic violence by undocumented immigrants.

And it appears there is no solution. Sheriff Michael Hennessey has attempted to opt out of the federal Secure Communities program, which since June has required his office to turn over every fingerprint taken to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Although there was hope new California Attorney General Kamala Harris could find a legal way for the department to not participate, Hennessey said last week his office has been informed there is no legal way to opt out.

The program conflicts with San Francisco’s long-standing sanctuary ordinance, which has protected undocumented immigrants who are arrested but not charged, or only charged with a misdemeanor.

Also, Hennessey expressed frustration with the way the program has been implemented.

“It’s just been one disaster after another in terms of how they’ve rolled this out,â€

That's the way it should be!

It will stop those who scam the system by claiming to be victims in order to get victim visas. I don't condone physical abuse in any way, shape or form; but we can't take care of the entire world.

I'm sure our own domestic abuse victims would love to be safe, but all they get is a protection from abuse paper, fat lot of good that does!

Within weeks, a victim of domestic violence is being deported because she reported the incident to police.

She's not being deported because she "reported" the incident to police; she's being deported because she's in this country ILLEGALLY!

Besides, we do not need any more illegal invaders, victims of dysfunctional domestic situations in this country. Deport both of them to their rightful country or origin and let them sort it out there. We've had enough!

That's the way it should be!

Yep, All illegal aliens are criminals. Laws should be obeyed whether they consider it "serious" or not. I wish we had this in my community.

Sounds fair to me. You get caught, you get get deported.

It doesn't matter if they're victims of domestic violence or any other alleged crime, they should definitely be deported post haste regardless. They're just wasting personnel and resources that were appropriated to protect Americans from domestic violence and by diverting those from our citizens, they're putting our own people at greater risk.

Get them out. Get them all out. And get them all out now, without bias, prejudice, delay or mercy.

They say no solution in sight? Thats just because they don't want immigration laws enforced. The solution is not to have the illegal aliens here in the first place.

If you come to the country illegally and get abused, mistreated, tortured, or whatever. I will have no sympathy. What one does in life comes back on them three fold. If you are a law breaker and basically economic terrorist and it comes back to haunt you.... so be it. Its called Karma. Do good and good things come to you, do bad and bad things come to you.

Lastly one illegal criminal activity should never be overlooked because the criminal became a victim as well.

The article states that victims of abuse are being deported because they report the abuse. That is not true. They are being deported because they are here illegally. Furthermore, if someone is living in an abusive situation, then it is in their best interest to be deported anyway. The deportation will at least take them out of the abusive situation and possibly save their life. I don't see a problem.

Originally Posted by busygirl

That's the way it should be!

Yep, All illegal aliens are criminals. Laws should be obeyed whether they consider it "serious" or not. I wish we had this in my community.

So do I busygirl, so do I. and welcome to ALIPAC.

She and other local law enforcement officials worry such cases will deter the reporting of domestic violence by undocumented immigrants.

If they weren't in this country in the first place, there wouldn't be a crime to report, stupid!