D.C. Council votes to limit reach of federal effort aimed at illegal immigration

Washington Post ^ | June 5, 2012 | Mihir Zaveri

[moonshinner_09]

Federal officials on Tuesday launched a controversial program in the District that targets illegal immigration, but not without a fight from some city officials who argue the effort undermines trust between police and local immigrant communities.

The program, known as Secure Communities, requires that arrestee fingerprints collected by local governments be shared with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement so the federal government can identify illegal immigrants and potentially move to detain or deport them. All other localities in the metropolitan area have been participating. But the D.C. Council on Tuesday quickly voted to limit the program’s reach, saying it could discourage immigrants who are crime victims or witnesses from working with police, ultimately making the city less safe.

[moonshinner_09]

The D.C. Council unanimously passed a bill to detain only those who have been previously convicted of a “dangerous” crime and only for an additional 24 hours beyond the time they would be otherwise held.In other words they intend to release dangerous criminals.They are more worried about illegals being befriended,pampered and putting them above the laws

[FlingWingFlyer]

I find it weird that there is so much “trust” to “undermine” between the police and the illegal immigrant communities right now. Something stinks here. Somebody isn’t doing their job.

[Feckless]

undermines trust between police and local immigrant communities

If they are illegal I don't care if they trust anybody but the bus driver who takes them over the bridge out of America. OK, not even him....

[Steely Tom]

I’m guessing that the DOJ reaction to this effort will be just a teensy bit different than it was when Arizona declared its intention to use state resources to enforce federal immigration law.

[VanShuyten]

Given the recent arrests of city councilmen and continuing investigations of others, including the mayor, I think it’s a ploy to avoid jail. All Mayor Grey has to say when the FBI busts him is, “You can’t hold me. I’m an illegal alien!”