OR Group Says Cops Shouldn't be Immigration Officers, Too

[The Straight Story]

OR Group Says Cops Shouldn't be Immigration Officers, Too

PORTLAND - More than 500 civil rights and public safety groups across the country are asking President Obama to end the "287(g) program," so named because it is Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. It trains and authorizes local police officers to enforce immigration laws. The groups say it does more harm than good because it damages community relationships and, in some places, power is being misused.

Although 287(g) has not come to Oregon yet, it expanded to include 19 states this spring. This week, an Oregon advocacy group, Partnership for Safety and Justice, signed a letter to the President protesting the program. Spokesperson Denise Welch says 287(g) promotes racial profiling.

"In other parts of the country, some local law enforcement agencies that have been granted 287g powers are using the program to target communities of color for arrest."

Some parts of Oregon already wrestle with allegations that police are targeting people of color in traffic stops and arrests, Welch says, as well as accusations that immigration raids affect workers more than employers.

http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/10305-2

[vadawg]

1. personally i think its a good program, people think that we are drounding everyone who looks

different up, that couldnt be further from the truth, when someone is arrested we ascertain their status only when its serious crimes (not drunk in public etc etc) even then we dont deport, we basically serve detainers for ICE on the subject, who then come and get the subject for deportation. Either immigration laws have to be enforced or you have to disregard them all, not sure which you would prefer..

[EFerrari]

2. This program is a terrible idea and for the very reasons in the OP.

Good luck getting people to report crime or cooperate with the police if they're afraid to contact them.