For Immediate Release / Excuse Cross Postings / Please Distribute
Date: April 20, 2010
Contact: Marco Loera, 602-373-3859 and info@ndlon.org

On Eve of SB1070 in Arizona: 22 Jurisdictions Join Failed Police and ICE Program

Today the Department of Homeland Security announced 22 jurisdictions joined one of their local police and ICE partnerships called the “Se Communities” program. The following is a response from Sarahi Uribe, national organizer of the “Uncovering the Truth on Police and ICE Collaboration” campaign set to launch next week:

It is alarming that today 22 jurisdictions joined another failed enforcement program that partners local police and ICE at a time when its clear these partnerships are disastrous. The widely acknowledged failures of the 287(g) program have not stopped the Administration’s rapid implementation of “Se Communities”—which is simply a rebranded version of 287(g). The Se Communities program forces police to forward the fingerprints of arrested individuals to DHS to verify their immigration status regardless whether the person is not yet convicted of any crimes, charges are dropped, and the arrest is unlawful.

The state of Arizona is one of the first testing grounds of these programs. Bill SB1070 is an extension of programs like 287(g) and Se Communities. The President and his Administration must reassert the federal government’s responsibility over immigration. They must prevent the implementation of SB1070 and also put an end to disasterous local police and ICE programs that encourage racial profiling, erode trust between police and communities, and make communities less safe.

On April 27th, national and local immigrant rights, criminal justice and social justice groups throughout the country will kick off a week of action aimed at “Uncovering the Truth on Police and ICE Collaboration.” In over ten cities groups will denounce the secrecy of these program’s implementation, demand answers, and ask for a moratorium.

For more information visit: www.uncoverthetruth.org

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