MIRA opposes the implementation of "Secure Communities" because:

"Secure Communities" often ensnares hard-working immigrants guilty of no crime:

• “Secure Communities” has not done what it's supposed to do — target serious criminals. Nationally, 47% of those deported have been low-level offenders and an additional 28% have had no criminal conviction on their record.

• In Boston, over half of those deported through the program —53% — have had no criminal convictions.

• By clogging up the system with low-level or civil cases, “Secure Communities” diverts ICE’s resources from pursuing actual threats to our communities.

“Secure Communities” breeds distrust between police and the community, decreasing our safety:

• Community members are already expressing alarm and are fearful of interaction with police.

• The program could encourage racial profiling, since police would know that everyone they arrest would get an immigration check. (While most local law enforcement agencies have strong policies against racial profiling, it only takes one violating officer to create panic and significantly imperil community policing efforts. There have been numerous cases of racial profiling throughout Massachusetts).

• Victims of domestic violence often face counter-accusations from their abuser and are subsequently arrested, making them prime targets for deportation through “Secure Communities." The program may even discourage women from reporting life-threatening situations.

The mechanism of “Secure Communities” is seriously flawed:

• There is no way to appeal for people who believe they have been wrongly identified in ICE’s database.

• There is no program oversight to prevent abuses, such as racial profiling.

• In the past, the governor has rightly noted that we need much more data about the program before widespread enactment. We still do not have that data.

Massachusetts already has an effective system for identifying and deporting criminals:

• The Massachusetts Department of Corrections already has a 287(g) agreement with ICE, so immigrants who are actually convicted of a crime already go through the deportation process after serving their time.

• ICE also has an active Criminal Alien Program (CAP), which bolsters the 287(g) agreement by identifying aliens serving time for criminal convictions.

• "Secure Communities" could potentially tie up bed space in local jails, where people are held before transfer to ICE.

The governor’s rationale for signing on now doesn’t make sense:

• Governor Patrick claims that he is legally required to sign-on to "Secure Communities." This is false — there is no legal requirement to sign-on. ICE plans to make the program national by 2013, but they will do so regardless of whether a jurisdiction wants it or not.

• The governor claims that he is signing on to "Secure Communities" in order to "have a seat at the table". There is no table. In prior discussions between ICE and state officials, ICE has said that the program has no flexibility and that they are not willing to put any limitations on their enforcement authority.

(1) There is no reason to believe that ICE resources are that limited.

(2) ICE resources expand every year, so even if this claim is true now, it won't be true in the near future.

(3) The majority of dangerous offenders are serving time in prison. ICE resources won't be used on them until their prison terms are up, leaving resources free to continue to go after low-level offenders and non-criminal immigrants.

Please CALL Governor Patrick’s office at 617-725-4005 and tell him NOT to implement "Secure Communities" in Massachusetts!

Sample script for your call: 

For additional questions, please contact:

Marcony Almeida, Director of Organizing. 617-350-5480 ext.205 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Cristina Aguilera, Campaign Organizer. 617-350-5480 ext. 206 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Filipe Zamborlini, Field Organizer. 617-350-5480 ext. 200 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it