Thread: Halting 'Secure Communities' adds to N.Y.'s vulnerabilities

Halting 'Secure Communities' adds to state's vulnerabilities

Jun 9, 2011
Written by
Sen. Greg Ball

In a real change of events, much has changed in Albany and things are finally heading in the right direction.

The state budget was passed on time and was balanced, we cut overall spending by 2 percent and cut state government operations spending by 1 percent, there were no new taxes in the bill and no back door borrowing.

Indeed, we are now finalizing agreements on the property tax cap and ethics reform, both historic and landmark pieces of legislation.

With this momentum, New York state is finally heading in the right direction.

That said, something happened last week in Albany that is particularly disturbing. Gov. Andrew Cuomo decided to suspend the state's participation in "Secure Communities."

This program has successfully deported more than 77,000 criminal illegal aliens, and that includes more than 25,000 violent criminal illegal aliens including murderers, rapists and child predators.

Even as the federal government has informed officials in Illinois that participation in S-Comm is mandatory, Gov. Cuomo's office announced on June 1 that the state would no longer participate, citing "questions and controversies."

As chairman of the New York State Senate Standing Committee on Homeland Security, I completely disagree with the governor and am appalled that politics would seep into the executive's decisions on matters of homeland security.

On April 7, I conducted a hearing in New York City on the status of our preparedness a decade after the Sept. 11 attacks. I was shocked to learn of the vulnerabilities still facing our state, including core communications and transportation vulnerabilities.

We need to add more resources and tools for members of local law enforcement to protect our communities, not take them away.

Suspending this vital law enforcement tool is a recipe for disaster. As I work with my legislative colleagues to push the governor to reconsider his stance, I'm asking that the federal Department of Homeland Security immediately take all necessary actions to overturn these actions by Gov. Cuomo.

I'm also asking that all New Yorkers call Gov. Cuomo and demand that he reconsider his position immediately.

State Sen. Greg Ball, R, C-Carmel, is the chairman of New York state Senate's Standing Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/wo ... o-06092011

It's bad enough that NYC has a illegal alien loving midget troll for mayor, who panders to the illegals every chance he gets and routinely sells out his police and firefighters, but now they have this clown for Governor too. There needs to be a major shake up in NY.