Community opposition to Secure Communities isn’t new, but now officials from Alameda County will formally request that Sheriff Greg Ahern withdraw from the Federal program that has been accused of ripping families apart and deporting the wrong people.
Citing data compiled by UC Berkley Law School’s Warren Institute, nearly a quarter of people held under Secure Communities had never been convicted of any offenses, and most had only been involved in low-level crimes. Originally, Secure Communities was intended to deport only serious criminals.
However, federal authorities have admitted that they are refocusing the program on its original intent – serious threats – and shifting away from quotas. Those quotas and 48-hour holds have resulted in Alameda County holding immigrants an average of 7 days more than other inmates.
The impact of the official opposition to the County’s participation in Secure Communities will likely be minimal. The Board of Supervisors has no official oversight of jails and their operation. Sheriff Ahern told the Oakland Tribune that he isn’t supportive of the program, but he wants to give ICE the opportunity to “do its job.”
Read the full article at the Oakland Tribune.