I urge you to halt the expansion of the Secure Communities program to New York City. The program has resulted in the deportation of thousands of people accused—but never convicted—of committing a crime. As a law enforcement strategy, Secure Communities has backfired, eroding trust between immigrant communities & law enforcement.
Local law enforcement requires the active cooperation of immigrant communities to effectively fight crime. The implementation of this program intimidates immigrants, reducing the likelihood that they will report crimes or come forward as witnesses for fear of risking deportation.
The Secure Communities program sends exactly the wrong message to our immigrant communities, at the expense of public safety. I urge you to stop the expansion of this program at once.