August 9, 2011

John T. Morton, Director of U.S. Customs
and Immigration Enforcement (ICE)

Recently, MPAC along with more than 20 other community and civil rights organizations signed on to a letter to U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) director John T. Morton expressing concern over an advisory committee being formed in order to suggest “ways to improve Secure Communities."

The original purpose of the oversight committee was to ensure ICE's Secure Communities program focus is on individuals who impose an actual threat to public safety and security. However, ICE has severely limited the influence of the committee and striped it of its initial influence to safe guard civil rights and liberties.

Secure Communities is a program implemented by the Department of Homeland Security, which is used to identify immigrants in U.S. prisons who are deportable.  This is done by matching the finger prints to criminal and immigration databases. If an individual is matched to a database, ICE will then be notified and the individual may face deportation.

Some of the concerns regarding ICE are it will create a wedge between local police and communities. For example undocumented individuals might be reluctant to contact police even if they are the ones reporting a crime. It might lead to increased racial profiling instead of keeping our communities safe from actual criminals.

Click here to view the letter MPAC signed.

-Saadia Khan
(saadia@mpac.org)
Civic Outreach Coordinator