New York Lawmakers Call For End To Secure Communities Program
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Some New York lawmakers are calling on President Barack Obama to end the controversial Secure Communities program.
The immigration enforcement program requires local law enforcement to turn over records of all those arrested to federal officials.
Jurisdictions had been allowed to choose whether or not to participate, and Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered the state out of the program earlier this year.
However, federal officials said last week that states no longer have the option to remove themselves.
Critics say the law encourages profiling and often leads to deportation of people who are never convicted of a crime.
"This bill, what it seeks to do is to really limit the information that is shared with ICE. It's not to say we're ending the collaboration, we're just being more specific,” said City Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito.
“Most of these individuals are people who haven't committed a crime, who have clear records, basically been stopped for minor infractions,” said State Assemblyman Francisco Moya.
Supporters of the program say it effectively identifies undocumented immigrants who are a danger to the community.