Thread: DHS Overrides State, Says Illinois Must Share Fingerprint Da

DHS Overrides State, Says Illinois Must Share Fingerprint Data For Deportations


HOUSTON -- The Department of Homeland Security will not allow Illinois law enforcement to stop sharing information with immigration enforcement, despite Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s request to opt-out of a controversial program, DHS officials confirmed on Thursday.

Quinn (D) announced on Wednesday he intended to withdraw from Secure Communities, an immigration enforcement program that shares fingerprints between the FBI and DHS to detect unauthorized immigrants.

But DHS officials confirmed to The Huffington Post that they will still require the state to share fingerprints with immigration enforcement -- even though Quinn said he wants to terminate a memorandum of understanding with the agency to share the data.

In making this decision, DHS is flouting the state's decision to withdraw from the program in favor of more universal immigration enforcement and likely setting the stage for a lawsuit.

The Illinois case is the latest -- and farthest-reaching -- in a string of confusion and misstatements from DHS over whether Secure Communities participation is voluntary. The program, a staple in the DHS’s efforts to deport record numbers of undocumented immigrants each year, has come under fire from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which called for a moratorium on Secure Communities on Thursday.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) called last week for an investigation into Secure Communities to determine whether DHS willfully deceived the public on the nature of the program.

Bills that would allow local jurisdictions to withdraw from Secure Communities, meanwhile, are currently working their way through state legislatures in Illinois and California.
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In the wake of those criticisms, Illinois became the first state to attempt to withdraw from fingerprint-sharing by terminating a memorandum of understanding with DHS. In a letter to the agency, Gov. Quinn wrote on Wednesday that Illinois police would no longer participate in Secure Communities and that all jurisdictions within the state would terminate their relationships with the DHS program.

Illinois is one of 42 states to agree to the program, which is being used in 1,265 jurisdictions. The Obama administration aims to expand the program nationwide by 2013.

Quinn criticized Secure Communities for netting large numbers of non-criminal undocumented immigrants, which he said was contrary to the DHS messaging on the program. Although Secure Communities is meant to capture the “worst of the worstâ€

In making this decision, DHS is flouting the state's decision to withdraw from the program in favor of more universal immigration enforcement and likely setting the stage for a lawsuit.

Wrong. In favor of a sanctuary state would be more accurate.

How long will it be till DHS caves to the OBL's demands ? Next Wk. ?

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-6283--0-0.html

Impeach corrupt goverwomen second not only deportate alike a hero joe arpaio put working for free paid own deportation and fine Mex gov for each one arrest.first enemy are democrat and second Mexican.

Way to go DHS. Keep up the great work!!!

Quinn must do what DHS is demanding. Who does Quinn think he is? The King of his state? No. He is not the King. We want Quinn to do what DHS is demanding. And all illegal aliens must be deported Mr. Quin. Mr. Quinn if you do not want to do the job (enforce current immigration laws), you must quit now.