Michele Waslin: Collaboration between Border Patrol and police terrifies local immigrant communities who are now fearful of calling the police or an ambulance or the fire department.
California TRUST Act Awaits Governor’s Signature
By
Michele Waslin: Passage of the TRUST Act would be an important step toward mitigating the harmful impact of the Secure Communities Program (S-Comm). Immigrant advocates from across the country are calling on Gov. Brown to sign the bill into law.
Homeland Security Report Ducks Secure Communities Concerns
By
Michele Waslin: Reports failed to address serious concerns including racial profiling, the impact on community/police relations, and the deportation of individuals with no criminal background.
How Pasadena’s Implements “Secure Communities”
By
Justin Chapman: In reality, Secure Communities has not only identified criminals, it has identified everyone who come through the criminal justice system, a lot of whom have done nothing wrong.
Obama Paving Perry’s Path to Presidency
By
Randy Shaw: When you try to understand how Rick Perry defeated Barack Obama in the 2012 election, look to the summer of 2011. That’s when Obama did almost everything possible to alienate the voters he needs for re-election. Obama began with a humiliating surrender to Republicans on the debt-ceiling deal, leaving even longtime supporters questioning his leadership.
More States Question Participation in ICE’s Secure Communities Program
By
Seth Hoy: ICE officials, however, claim that states have no choice but to participate in Secure Communities since “the data-sharing systems the program relies upon are already in place” and because governors have “no legal standing to block their use.”
Baca on Secure Communities
By
Michele Waslin: Baca said that ICE has the ability to deport an immigrant, regardless of a criminal conviction, and he has no problem with people being deported after being charged with traffic violations.
More States Disapprove ICE’s Secure Communities Program
By
Michele Waslin: The program, which shares the fingerprints of individuals booked into jails with federal immigration databases, has been widely criticized for failing to target serious criminals, for increasing the potential for racial profiling, and for failing to be transparent.
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren Demands Investigation into ICE’s Secure Communities Program
By
Seth Hoy: This week, Rep. Lofgren called for an investigation into the actions of federal immigration officials whom she said lied about whether states and localities had the right to opt-out of the program.
New DHS Documents Highlight Internal Confusion Over Secure Communities Program
By
Michele Waslin: While ICE has said that the agency will eventually install Secure Communities in all state and local detention facilities nationwide (which makes it seem like a federal mandate), they have also indicated that the program is voluntary.
Sanctuary Cities and the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program: Two Things that Do Not Go Together
By
Michele Waslin: Despite the clear facts, radio-show hosts, politicians, and immigration restrictionists still want you to believe that cities receiving SCAAP reimbursements are providing “sanctuary” to criminals. Maybe next they’ll try to convince you immigrants are responsible for global warming and teenage obesity—wait, been there, done that.
Counties Say No to ICE’s Secure Communities Program; Is Opting Out Possible?
By
Michele Waslin: The Santa Clara and Arlington County votes come after questions and confusion regarding local jurisdictions’ ability to opt-out of the program.
Is Opting Out of the Secure Communities Program an Option?
By
Michele Waslin: Given ICE’s stated intention to eventually install the system in all state and local detention facilities nationwide, and given the fact that DHS signs MOAs with the states, it is unclear how those local jurisdictions that want to opt out will be able to do so. Thus Secure Communities raises serious questions about the relationship between federal and local law-enforcement agencies, and about a local community’s ability to weigh in on important decisions affecting the entire community.
Is Secure Communities Making our Communities Secure?
By
A new IPC report, The Secure Communities Program: Unanswered Questions and Continuing Concerns, released today highlights early evidence from Secure Communities—and experience with other ICE programs—that suggests this new program may not be living up to its name and may not be effectively making our communities more safe.
Obama’s Controversial Two-Step Moves in Direction of Immigration Reform
By
After boosting border enforcement, the Obama Administration recently announced that it will also increase funding for a troublesome program started by George W. Bush. The controversial program gives Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) unregulated access to the immigration information of every person in local prisons across the United States. Although Obama may be sending mixed [...]
Obama Budget Not a Replacement for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
By
The Obama Administration appears increasingly poised to move forward on comprehensive immigration reform, as promised. Last Thursday, the White House announced budgetary initiatives that signal a change in priorities and pave the way for immigration reform. At the same time, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, testified before the Senate yesterday about her plans to [...]
PCL offers monthly Open House Events on the 2nd Saturday at 2pm and 3rd Thursday at 6pm. Click here to learn more.
Recent Comments