Our country faces a crisis of mass detentions and deportations that violates our notions of fairness and justice. Through programs such as Secure Commmunities (S-Comm), the Criminal Alien Program, and 287(g), Immigration and Customs Enforcement is colluding with local law enforcement to use the criminal justice system as a dragnet to deport immigrants. Between 1995 and 2009, the number of immigrants thrown into our deportation system increased more than eightfold.
Often sent to remote detention centers, most immigrants are forced to defend themselves without loved ones, information, or even lawyers to help them navigate the deporation process. Meanwhile, their families and communities are deprived of support systems and breadwinners. New York should not tolerate its residents getting unjustly taken from their homes and communities. New York State government officials have the power—and the obligation—to protect immigrants in the state and to stop these destructive ICE programs.
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