Thread: MA Governor is urged to reconsider immigration enforcement

Monday, February 14, 2011

Governor is urged to reconsider immigration enforcement program

By John J. Monahan TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
jmonahan@telegram.com

BOSTON — Gov. Deval L. Patrick said today he will hold public hearings before joining a federal program that would have local police collect the fingerprints of undocumented immigrants they arrest and share the prints with federal authorities.

The governor stated last month that he planned to have the state join the federal Secure Communities program, as dozens of other states and cities have done in the last three years. Federal authorities could use the information collected to launch deportation proceedings against illegal immigrants arrested by local police.

But after meeting with immigrant advocates protesting the plan today, Mr. Patrick said he has concerns about having local police enforce immigration laws, and said he would listen to public concerns about the program before signing agreements with the Department of Homeland Security.

About 15 immigrant advocates protested the plan outside the governor’s office inside the Statehouse for several hours today, chanting slogans critical of the program and demanding to meet with the governor to talk about their complaints.

Mr. Patrick met with several representatives of the group, and said later he has questions about whether the state is required to join the program and whether it is a good use of local police.

“We had a good conversation,â€

The governor stated last month that he planned to have the state join the federal Secure Communities program, as dozens of other states and cities have done in the last three years. Federal authorities could use the information collected to launch deportation proceedings against illegal immigrants arrested by local police.

That is the best way to approach and eliminate the immigration issue. Something must be done quickly because the illegal immigration problems are not getting any better. The longer we delay correcting the burden the more problems we will encounter.