Thread: Summit today on controversial immigration program

Aug. 15, 2011 Updated: 10:12 a.m.

Summit today on controversial immigration program

An advisory immigration task force made up of chiefs of police, sheriffs, state and local activists, federal immigration agents and academics will meet in Los Angeles to talk about program to identify and deport criminals who are in the country illegally.

BY CINDY CARCAMO / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

A controversial federal immigration program that's led to an unprecedented number of deportations will take center stage this afternoon at a historic hearing in Los Angeles.

After a national outcry from local and state government officials, domestic violence victims and immigrant rights activists, a task force formed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will meet with the public to discuss the federal Secure Communities program.

If you go

The task force meeting is from 6 to 8 tonight at St. Anne’s Residential Facility, 155 N. Occidental Blvd., Los Angeles.

The task force hearing, at 6 p.m., will the only one on the West Coast.

Secure Communities -- launched in Orange County in March of last year -- is intended to identify and deport people who are in the country illegally and suspected of or convicted of serious crimes. It shares fingerprint information of those arrested in local custody with immigration officials.

In fiscal year 2010, immigration officials removed more than 392,000 people from the United States, according to ICE statistics. Nearly half – 95,000 – had criminal convictions.

However, the program has sparked criticism from immigrant activists and some law enforcement officials who say the vast majority of people targeted under the program were arrested for offenses as minor as selling street food without a permit. Advocates also say in practice it is also targeting anyone booked into police custody, including crime victims and non-criminals, for transfer to immigration authorities.

Government officials, from Illinois to Massachusetts, have resisted becoming part of the Secure Communities program. In response, immigration officials announced that they would cancel all agreements that 40 states and cities had signed to start the program because they said it was not legally required any way, according to news reports.

Immigration officials formed the advisory task force – comprised of law enforcement officials, advocates and scholars -- to look at the criticism. The task force is responsible for making recommendations on how to best focus on individuals who pose a true public safety or national security threat, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

The group is also tasked with preparing a report with recommendations on how ICE can adjust the program to lessen potential impacts on community policing practices, including how to implement policies related to the detention and removal of people charged with, but not convicted of, minor traffic offenses who have no other criminal history or egregious immigration violations.

Some anti-illegal immigration activists, however, say that anyone who is the country illegally should be subject to removal.

Some law enforcement officials critical of the program say it's affected their ability to do community policing by alienating victims afraid of speaking out because of their legal status.

More to come

Contact the writer: 714-796-7924 or ccarcamo@ocregister.com or www.twitter.com/thecindycarcamo

http://www.ocregister.com/news/immigrat ... ogram.html

Task force eyes fingerprint sharing by authorities

The Associated Press
Published: Monday, Aug. 15, 2011 - 3:28 pm

LOS ANGELES -- A federal task force is expected to get an earful from immigrants and their advocates in Los Angeles about a controversial fingerprint sharing program they say is trampling people's rights.

The Department of Homeland Security has assembled law enforcement and community leaders to make recommendations on improving the so-called Secure Communities program, which gives immigration authorities access to the fingerprints of people who are arrested.

The meeting on Monday night comes at a time when a number of state governments have said they want nothing to do with the program. However, Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently told state governments the program is mandatory.

The task force is holding a series of meetings around the country.

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/08/15/383986 ... z1V8xBJGBo