Thread: CA: Dems call for California to withdraw from controversial

Dems call for California to withdraw from controversial illegal immigration enforcement program

L.A. Times
June 10, 2011 | 11:19 am

Seven Democratic members of California’s Congressional Delegation called on Gov. Jerry Brown Friday to suspend California’s participation in the Secure Communities immigration enforcement program.

In recent weeks, governors in Illinois, New York and Massachusetts sought to suspend or declined to enter into Secure Communities participation agreements.

Earlier this week, the Los Angeles City Council voted nearly unanimously to support legislation allowing communities to opt out of the program.

Gov. Brown “should side with both the officers who patrol our communities and the people they protect and end Secure Communities in California,â€

This is not a big suprise. Those gutless wonders who call themselves Democrates are nothing more than a bunch of sheep who have their own self interests above that of the community. From the WH on down to the lowest of Dems. They all have a common interest and thats in themselves. Pander to the hispanic community, lie, steal, cheat on everyone including their wives. Double talk is their method, Lies their tool, and most if one looks close walks a tightline to being outright traitors. Prime example is the one in the oval office. Dems don't want to upset LaRaza...They are depending on the Tacotowners to reelect them.

Pressure Builds on California Gov. Jerry Brown to Suspend Participation in Secure Communities

Published June 10, 2011

JUNE 10: A Mexican National lays out on the beach along the U.S. and Mexico border wall June 10, 2007 in San Ysidro, California. (Photo by Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images)

Will California be the fourth state to do an about-face on Secure Communities?

If California congressional members had their way, it would.

The representatives want Gov. Jerry Brown to suspend the state's participation in the Secure Communities, a controversial Homeland Security program that enables local police and other law enforcement officials to share fingerprints of people who are arrested with immigration agents.

Democratic Reps. Xavier Becerra, Lucille Roybal-Allard and Judy Chu, along with Los Angeles city council members Bernard Parks and Jan Perry, are calling on the governor to suspend the state's participation in the program until questions about its effect on the reporting of crime by victims and witnesses in immigrant communities are effectively answered, according to a statement by Becerra's office.

The move follows this week's vote by the Los Angeles City Council to support state efforts to withdraw from the controversial program.
Related Photo

U.S. Rep Xavier Becerra, middle, Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, Rep. Judy Chu, second from right, and Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, , far right, release a letter asking Calif. Governor Brown to suspend its participation in the Homeland Security's immigration enforcement program known as "Secure Communities," during a news conference at Los Angeles City Hall, Friday June 10, 2011.

Through Secure Communities, the FBI shares with the Homeland Security Department fingerprints that local and state law enforcement have sent to the FBI to get criminal histories.

The Homeland Security Department checks the prints against its immigration records to identify people illegally in the country or who can be forced to leave the U.S.

Immigration officials say the goal is to ensure undocumented immigrants who commit crimes are flagged and deported. Nationwide, about 26 percent of those deported under program have been convicted of major drug offenses or violent crimes.

Massachusetts is the latest state to opt out of the program, joining New York and Illinois. The California Assembly has voted to withdraw. A Senate vote is pending.

This is based on a story by the Associated Press.

Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politi ... z1Ov3psh99

Jerry Brown will not sign that bill.

Federal deportation program creates more local outcry

Friday, June 10, 2011

Carlos Granda

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- There's growing outcry over a federal program targeting illegal immigrants. Some local leaders are urging Gov. Jerry Brown to opt out of the program.

"In my case I'm not a criminal," said Magaly Dominguez. She wears an electronic bracelet on her ankle after being arrested by the LAPD for selling hot dogs on the street.

But since Dominguez is in the country illegally she could now be deported.

"My family has to go with me," said Dominguez. "Because I am the head of the family, I am the one who supports the family."

Dominguez was identified under a program called Secure Communities, which requires local law enforcement to send fingerprints of anyone arrested to federal immigration authorities.

The program is supposed to target immigrants who commit serious crimes, but some say people with minor offenses are also being deported.

"ICE's so-called Secure Communities program translates into less security, not more," said Representative Xavier Becerra from Los Angeles.

Several elected officials today are asking Brown to drop California from the program. Former LAPD chief and current City Councilmember Bernard Parks says the program will make people afraid of calling the police.

"This is about maintaining a 40 year history of the city of Los Angeles," said Parks. "And directing its energy with having great relationships with immigrant communities."

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released a statement: "Secure Communities enhances public safety by enabling ICE to identify and remove criminal aliens more efficiently and effectively from the United States. ICE has removed more than 77,000 criminal aliens- more than 28,000 of whom were convicted of aggravated felonies."

"The concept of secure communities is an excellent one," said Steve Whitmore from L.A. County Sheriff's Department.

The L.A. County Sheriff's Department says illegal immigrants in jail cost $100 million a year.

"The sheriff believes that's throwing the baby out with the bathwater," said XX. "If it can be better, which it can, let's make it better. But is it effective? Is it a step in the right direction? Absolutely."

http://abclocal.go.com

Immigration: Should California suspend participation in Secure Communities?

Comments (9)
June 10, 2011 | 7:24pm

Opposition to the federal government's controversial Secure Communities immigration program appears to be growing, at least among some elected officials.

A group of seven congressional members are asking Gov. Jerry Brown to suspend participation in the program that requires the fingerprints of all arrestees to be shared with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Secure Communities has drawn fire from civil and immigrant rights' groups, and some law enforcement officials, who say it has failed to meet its stated goal of targeting immigrants convicted of violent crimes and instead led to the deportation of thousands of undocumented immigrants with no criminal history.

It will be interesting to see if Brown follows the lead of governors in Massachusetts, New York and Illinois; all three states have said they want to stop sharing information with the Department of Homeland Security. The Obama administration has pushed back, insisting state's can't back out of the program.

Moreover, Brown signed on to Secure Communities during his tenure as state attorney general. Brown could sidestep the issue by simply waiting to see if a bill making its way through the Legislature is passed. The bill, known as the Trust Act, would put limits on how much information is shared with federal officials and require those counties that want to take part in Secure Communities to opt in, instead of the current system that automatically requires enrollment.

The letter asking Brown to end the state’s participation in Secure Communities was signed by Reps. Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-East Los Angeles) Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park), Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), Linda T. Sanchez (D-Lakewood), Grace F. Napolitano (D-Norwalk) and Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles).

http://opinion.latimes.com