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'Secure Communities' Program Expanded Along U.S.-Mexico Border
Phoenix, Arizona – The federal program known as Secure
Communities that identifies undocumented individuals who have
committed crimes has been expanded, Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) announced today.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that
Secure Communities has now been deployed to all 25 U.S. counties
along the Southwest, U.S.-Mexico border.
The program began as a pilot in October of 2008, during the
Administration of former President George W. Bush. President Obama
expanded the program in May 2009. A year ago, Secure Communities
was already being operated in nearly 50 counties throughout the
country.
Since 2009, the plan was expanded to screen the fingerprints of 1
million individuals who are booked in local jails, and in cities like
Phoenix, Arizona, Dallas and Houston, Texas, Miami, Florida, Boston,
Massachusetts, and Los Angeles, California.
DHS states they have expanded the Secure Communities initiative
from 14 to 544 jurisdictions in the past 18 months. Further expansion
plans will implement the program in virtually every law enforcement
jurisdiction in the United States by 2013
"Over the past year and a half, this administration has pursued a
new border security strategy through unprecedented investments in
personnel, technology and infrastructure and historic partnerships
with Mexico and state and local law enforcement," Secretary
Napolitano stated, as quoted in a press release from DHS.
Through Secure Communities, the U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) is able to use biometric information in state
prisons and local jails. The measure seeks to not only detect but also
remove individuals who lack authorization to be in the United States
and who also have criminal records.
"Secure Communities gives the ICE the ability to work with our state
and local law enforcement partners to identify criminal aliens who are
already in their custody, expediting their removal and keeping our
communities safer," Napolitano explained.
The program is based on collaborations between DHS, the
Department of Justice, and state and local law enforcement
agencies. It consists in the collection of digital fingerprints during the
booking process, which then are checked against FBI criminal history
records and DHS immigration records.
In enforcing the Secure Communities program, ICE identifies in jails
and prisons individuals whose immigration record matches, and
begins and expedites their removal proceedings.
According to DHS’s data, the program has identified to date more
than 262,900 foreigners in jails and prisons. These individuals have
been charged with or convicted of criminal offenses, including more
than 39,000 charged with or convicted of major violent or drug
offenses (level 1 offenses).
Secure Communities is credited with removing from the United States
over 34,600 convicted criminals who lack legal status. This amount
includes more than 9,800 convicted of major violent or drug offenses
(level 1 offenses).
Over the past 18 months, the Obama administration has dedicated
unprecedented resources to the Southwest border, leading to
increases in seizures of illicit narcotics, weapons, and bulk cash, as
well as decreases in border crossings.
Communities that identifies undocumented individuals who have
committed crimes has been expanded, Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) announced today.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that
Secure Communities has now been deployed to all 25 U.S. counties
along the Southwest, U.S.-Mexico border.
The program began as a pilot in October of 2008, during the
Administration of former President George W. Bush. President Obama
expanded the program in May 2009. A year ago, Secure Communities
was already being operated in nearly 50 counties throughout the
country.
Since 2009, the plan was expanded to screen the fingerprints of 1
million individuals who are booked in local jails, and in cities like
Phoenix, Arizona, Dallas and Houston, Texas, Miami, Florida, Boston,
Massachusetts, and Los Angeles, California.
DHS states they have expanded the Secure Communities initiative
from 14 to 544 jurisdictions in the past 18 months. Further expansion
plans will implement the program in virtually every law enforcement
jurisdiction in the United States by 2013
"Over the past year and a half, this administration has pursued a
new border security strategy through unprecedented investments in
personnel, technology and infrastructure and historic partnerships
with Mexico and state and local law enforcement," Secretary
Napolitano stated, as quoted in a press release from DHS.
Through Secure Communities, the U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) is able to use biometric information in state
prisons and local jails. The measure seeks to not only detect but also
remove individuals who lack authorization to be in the United States
and who also have criminal records.
"Secure Communities gives the ICE the ability to work with our state
and local law enforcement partners to identify criminal aliens who are
already in their custody, expediting their removal and keeping our
communities safer," Napolitano explained.
The program is based on collaborations between DHS, the
Department of Justice, and state and local law enforcement
agencies. It consists in the collection of digital fingerprints during the
booking process, which then are checked against FBI criminal history
records and DHS immigration records.
In enforcing the Secure Communities program, ICE identifies in jails
and prisons individuals whose immigration record matches, and
begins and expedites their removal proceedings.
According to DHS’s data, the program has identified to date more
than 262,900 foreigners in jails and prisons. These individuals have
been charged with or convicted of criminal offenses, including more
than 39,000 charged with or convicted of major violent or drug
offenses (level 1 offenses).
Secure Communities is credited with removing from the United States
over 34,600 convicted criminals who lack legal status. This amount
includes more than 9,800 convicted of major violent or drug offenses
(level 1 offenses).
Over the past 18 months, the Obama administration has dedicated
unprecedented resources to the Southwest border, leading to
increases in seizures of illicit narcotics, weapons, and bulk cash, as
well as decreases in border crossings.
By Eduardo Barraza August 10, 2010
| Hispanic Institute of Social Issues © 2006-2011 All rights reserved. webmaster@hisi.org |
Department of Homeland Security's
Automated Biometric Identification
System houses fingerprint records
and limited biographic information.
Photo: Especial
Automated Biometric Identification
System houses fingerprint records
and limited biographic information.
Photo: Especial
| Related Links |
Eduardo Barraza is a journalist and writer,
Barriozona Magazine's editor, and director of
the Hispanic Insitute of Social Issues.
E-mail: editor@barriozona.com
Barriozona Magazine's editor, and director of
the Hispanic Insitute of Social Issues.
E-mail: editor@barriozona.com
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