Jeanfromfillmore
12-18-2010, 11:49 AM
Police chiefs support immigration program
Two local police chiefs in towns with large populations from outside the United States say a new program to share Massachusetts arrest information with federal immigration authorities can be helpful - if run properly.
The state's public safety commissioner said yesterday that Massachusetts will sign on to the federal Secure Communities program, which is meant to deport illegal immigrants who have committed major crimes.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement pressed the state earlier this year to join. The Patrick administration had resisted but now thinks it has no choice.
The federal government wants the program in effect nationwide by 2013.
Framingham Police Chief Steven Carl said his department likes several aspects of Secure Communities, although it will take public education to maintain trust between immigrants and police, and to ensure that people on all sides of the immigration debate understand the program, he said.
"If properly implemented, it will be very good for public safety, be very good for communities ... because it removes really dangerous people if they're taken into custody," Carl said.
Milford Police Chief Thomas O'Loughlin said he has no problem with Secure Communities as long as immigration authorities do not expect local departments to detain arrestees for long periods.
"ICE has to do their side of the bargain, which is: If they're your prisoners, come and get them," O'Loughlin said.
Police generally check fingerprints of people arrested against FBI criminal history records. Under Secure Communities, local and state police computers automatically send fingerprints to be checked against Department of Homeland Security immigration records, too.
If there is a match, ICE officers check the person's immigration status and decide whether to take any action. The agency says its priority is only to remove illegal immigrants convicted of serious crimes, such as murder, rape or major drug offenses.
In a statement yesterday, state Public Safety Secretary Mary Beth Heffernan said that, over the past year, ICE had given Massachusetts conflicting information about the program.
"It has become clear now that this program is going to be mandatory for all communities in the near future," she said.
So the state will now sign a memorandum of understanding with ICE, she said.
"We will also work closely with all communities to monitor the implementation and share with federal officials any concerns that are raised," Heffernan said.
No date has been set for when state police will roll out the program, said Terrel Harris, a spokesman for the Executive Office of Public Safety. All police agencies will be required to participate by 2013, he said.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts said it is concerned about sending thousands of names and fingerprints a year to ICE, including those of U.S. citizens, regardless of the severity of the offense of which they are accused.
The group also said ICE statistics from a pilot program in Boston show that more than half the people deported had been convicted of no crime. ICE has previously disputed such statistics.
Carl said he recently gave a presentation to Framingham selectmen on the program. Sharing fingerprints from all arrests can reduce allegations of racial profiling, "which we like," Carl said.
The chief said that, among other benefits, he supports the idea of prioritizing enforcement against dangerous criminals. The program also will make more federal information available to local officers, he said.
Carl said he is concerned, however, about misinformation about the program. He said he does not want people to expect "street sweeps" of immigrants.
"If not properly marketed, it could diminish the trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement," Carl said. "You have to educate everyone."
The chief said he does not want to see fewer crimes reported by immigrants simply because they fear local police.
"We want victims and witnesses of crimes to come forward," he added. "The whole premise is to take criminals off the street."
Carl said he plans to get together with ICE in the spring and start scheduling meetings in Framingham with leaders in immigrant communities, as well as immigration advocates and critics, to explain the program.
He said he would reach out to Brazilian newspapers, radio stations and other media as well.
Framingham Police withdrew last year from a separate program that allowed some of its officers to enforce immigration laws. At the time, Carl said U.S. authorities pressed the department to expand its role.
Secure Communities is different, he said.
"This puts no burden on us," he said. "It's business as usual."
O'Loughlin said Milford Police hooked up the computer system needed for the program in August.
ICE is already sharing helpful information with officers, he said.
"I think what we're going to get back now is whether or not they want to hold (a prisoner)," O'Loughlin said.
The chief said he mainly wants to be sure ICE quickly picks up those people it asks be detained. State law requires police to take a prisoner to court for arraignment by the next business day, he said.
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/top_stories/x953406456/Police-chiefs-support-immigration-program
Two local police chiefs in towns with large populations from outside the United States say a new program to share Massachusetts arrest information with federal immigration authorities can be helpful - if run properly.
The state's public safety commissioner said yesterday that Massachusetts will sign on to the federal Secure Communities program, which is meant to deport illegal immigrants who have committed major crimes.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement pressed the state earlier this year to join. The Patrick administration had resisted but now thinks it has no choice.
The federal government wants the program in effect nationwide by 2013.
Framingham Police Chief Steven Carl said his department likes several aspects of Secure Communities, although it will take public education to maintain trust between immigrants and police, and to ensure that people on all sides of the immigration debate understand the program, he said.
"If properly implemented, it will be very good for public safety, be very good for communities ... because it removes really dangerous people if they're taken into custody," Carl said.
Milford Police Chief Thomas O'Loughlin said he has no problem with Secure Communities as long as immigration authorities do not expect local departments to detain arrestees for long periods.
"ICE has to do their side of the bargain, which is: If they're your prisoners, come and get them," O'Loughlin said.
Police generally check fingerprints of people arrested against FBI criminal history records. Under Secure Communities, local and state police computers automatically send fingerprints to be checked against Department of Homeland Security immigration records, too.
If there is a match, ICE officers check the person's immigration status and decide whether to take any action. The agency says its priority is only to remove illegal immigrants convicted of serious crimes, such as murder, rape or major drug offenses.
In a statement yesterday, state Public Safety Secretary Mary Beth Heffernan said that, over the past year, ICE had given Massachusetts conflicting information about the program.
"It has become clear now that this program is going to be mandatory for all communities in the near future," she said.
So the state will now sign a memorandum of understanding with ICE, she said.
"We will also work closely with all communities to monitor the implementation and share with federal officials any concerns that are raised," Heffernan said.
No date has been set for when state police will roll out the program, said Terrel Harris, a spokesman for the Executive Office of Public Safety. All police agencies will be required to participate by 2013, he said.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts said it is concerned about sending thousands of names and fingerprints a year to ICE, including those of U.S. citizens, regardless of the severity of the offense of which they are accused.
The group also said ICE statistics from a pilot program in Boston show that more than half the people deported had been convicted of no crime. ICE has previously disputed such statistics.
Carl said he recently gave a presentation to Framingham selectmen on the program. Sharing fingerprints from all arrests can reduce allegations of racial profiling, "which we like," Carl said.
The chief said that, among other benefits, he supports the idea of prioritizing enforcement against dangerous criminals. The program also will make more federal information available to local officers, he said.
Carl said he is concerned, however, about misinformation about the program. He said he does not want people to expect "street sweeps" of immigrants.
"If not properly marketed, it could diminish the trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement," Carl said. "You have to educate everyone."
The chief said he does not want to see fewer crimes reported by immigrants simply because they fear local police.
"We want victims and witnesses of crimes to come forward," he added. "The whole premise is to take criminals off the street."
Carl said he plans to get together with ICE in the spring and start scheduling meetings in Framingham with leaders in immigrant communities, as well as immigration advocates and critics, to explain the program.
He said he would reach out to Brazilian newspapers, radio stations and other media as well.
Framingham Police withdrew last year from a separate program that allowed some of its officers to enforce immigration laws. At the time, Carl said U.S. authorities pressed the department to expand its role.
Secure Communities is different, he said.
"This puts no burden on us," he said. "It's business as usual."
O'Loughlin said Milford Police hooked up the computer system needed for the program in August.
ICE is already sharing helpful information with officers, he said.
"I think what we're going to get back now is whether or not they want to hold (a prisoner)," O'Loughlin said.
The chief said he mainly wants to be sure ICE quickly picks up those people it asks be detained. State law requires police to take a prisoner to court for arraignment by the next business day, he said.
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/top_stories/x953406456/Police-chiefs-support-immigration-program