Local elected officials are speaking out against a program that requires law enforcement agencies to share digital fingerprint records of people who are arrested with federal immigration officials, who then check the prints for a person’s green card status.
The program, known as “Secure Communities” and run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was originally intended to deport criminals who were determined to be in the country illegally and to focus on “the most dangerous and violent offenders,” according to the ICE’s website.
But data shows that the so far, 79 percent of the 102,000 immigrants deported under the program have never been convicted of a crime.
A group of 38 New York legislators, including 13 Bronx Senate and Assembly members, sent a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo last month imploring him to withdraw the state from the program.
“Our communities are far less safe because of this program,” State Sen. Jose Serrano told the Gotham Gazette.
“It will only further fuel what law enforcement officials and immigrant advocacy communities have been saying for years: immigrants will be distrustful of their local law enforcement and will allow for crimes to go unreported or unsolved,” State Sen. Gustavo Rivera said in a press release.
At the moment, counties in 44 percent of the state have been activated in Secure Communities—none yet in New York City.
In early May, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn announced that the state would stop participating, though the Department of Homeland Security has said the program is mandatory and that all U.S. counties will have to be enrolled by 2013.
Congressman Jose Serrano, representing the Bronx, also issued a letter urging Cuomo to withdraw, and along with several other members of Congress, called for President Obama to halt the policy entirely until it can be reviewed further.
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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.
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Congressman Jose Serrano does not represent me , The Bronx should not be the hiding borough for every one that is here illegally, abandoning their homeland.. The impact of immigrants has changed the quality of life here for the worst. The stores here sale only sports clothing and the super markets lack the quality of healthy foods to survive. The noise alone drives us crazy because they brought their customs here, which is so unAmerican.Have Mr.Serrano seen any great exodus of Americans settling in other countries looking for their dreams to come true? The birth rate has increased almost tenfold and that is steadily climbing.When I am out and about I do not feel like I am in America as I have in the past.
We are heading toward a “one child only society” and a “what is your motive for coming here?” laws.
“But data shows that the so far, 79 percent of the 102,000 immigrants deported under the program have never been convicted of a crime.” That doesn’t make it right to be here illegally ya schmuck. It is a federal offense to be in this country illegally. It not only stagnating Job Growth in the United States but its also a burden on the LEGAL middle class and upper class. Stop spreading your left wing nonsense.
I believe that every person who come to unite state with out permit is violating the law of Unite State. I believe they should take all illegal out of the country. The reason i said this is because they taking the job that belong to the people who belong to this country. The bussines are hired them to make more money while those who have the right to be here have to go to Social Services. They should implemented the law of arizona.
The Bronx Pols do not understand that those illegal people don’ t know the language they have no papers to work and what they have to do to survive is mugging and killing and destroyed the places. When a person have needs and do not find the proper way to survive they show that they loose their mind. I believe as the economy is we don;t need no more money waisting in people that don’t know the life in our community. They feel lost and neglected but why we have to deal wth the problems of the goverment of other country. The city of New York was beautiful know looks so dark dirty and awful.
But they don’t only kill or mugg people they are stealing the benefits that the federal and city give to the people with rights in this country. Like section 8 all dominican live in that program because some of them work in the program and for money under the table they give the program to them. The benefits of welfare a lot of them getting the benefits with other identity and some of them living with their husband. They should review every case every person in section 8 not only dominican but other ethnic.