Protesters Rally Against 'Coercive Deportation'
Three-hundred protesters call for a moratorium on the controversial Secure Communities program.
Photos
Chanting alternately in Spanish and English, a diverse group of about 300 protesters marched Thursday from George Mason's Arlington campus to the Arlington County Justice Center, protesting against "coercive deportation."
The rally at the court house included speakers from the immigrant community, from religious leaders and advocacy groups, organized by CASA de Maryland, an advocacy group for Latino communities. Activists from similar movements in New York and California also spoke about finding inspiration from Arlington County.
The protest was held in response to the federal Secure Communities program, which matches fingerprints of arrested individuals against the Department of Homeland Security's immigration violation database. Activists called for a moratorium on the program, which began in 2008 and is now active in 1,315 local jurisdictions in 42 states and has removed more than 72,000 criminal aliens.
Arlington County's history with the Secure Communities program has been contentious since last September when the county attempted to opt out of the program. The county board said that "the Secure Communities Initiative will create divisions in our community and promote a culture of fear and distrust of law enforcement that threatens public safety and makes communities less safe."
Other jurisdictions have also considered or attempted to opt out of the program, including Illinois, California, and Montgomery County, Md. The federal government has affirmed that local jurisdictions cannot elect to withdraw from the program, but are not required to enforce immigrations policies. Enforcement remains the responsibility of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Commander Jim Wasem of the Arlington County Police Department was at the protest to emphasize that local law enforcement are not doing anything differently in their arrest process. The information, he said, goes from the local jurisdiction to the state, which passes the information to the federal government.
"We're not asking people immigration status or for documents," Wasem said. "We need community trust, we need witnesses to testify, and victims to come forward."
D. Porter
11:22 pm on Thursday, May 26, 2011
Illegal aliens are deportable whether or not they get caught committing additional crimes. In fact they should be deported upon detection BEFORE they get a chance to commit crimes against American citizens or others. That's supposed to be the job the government is committed to do to protect 'we the people," and there is no "get out of jail free" cards for invaders under US law. These sniveling scumbags ranting about the feds deporting the worst of the worst of their deplorable ilk illustrates why more and more citizens want the border LAND MINED.
I say build a wall and deport 'em all.
Carl
12:54 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Pretty ignorant stuff here. Immigrants actually commit less violent crime than native born Americans.
Ali999
1:32 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Immigrants are one thing. Illegal aliens are quite another. And when illegal aliens do commit violent crimes, they do it pretty spectacularly. Ingmar Guandique. The guy who killed the Bologna family. The illegal alien who killed a nun by driving drunk on a suspended license. Not to mention that Hispanics (can't tell their status) were four of the top 10 FBI Most Wanted along with Osama Bin Laden.
Carl
1:35 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Ali999 - do you realize that it's invalid to extrapolate from one person to an entire population? I guarantee there are native born Americans who have killed nuns.
Ali999
2:09 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Carl, supporters of illegal aliens try to do that all the time. Witness the Dream Act. How many "sob stories" do we read about illegal alien valedictorians with the implication that ALL illegal alien "children" are valedictorians and should be legalized. And isn't the very thrust of the argument being made by illegal aliens themselves that only a handful of them are "rotten apples" and that the rest only want work here? Fact is, every single illegal alien is breaking at least one law of this country, and quite likely several more. And THAT is fact.
bartlebee
5:01 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Carl: One thing that nobody can deny is that illegal aliens commit more crimes than native born Americans.
Mark Blacknell
11:09 am on Friday, May 27, 2011
Credit to ACPD for getting out there and focusing on the important stuff ("community trust, we need witnesses to testify, and victims to come forward.").
Ali999
1:40 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Let's see. The police don't arrest people who break our immigration laws. Now, why on earth should Americans and legal immigrants believe that our laws are enforced even handedly? Where is concern about getting and maintaining the trust of AMERICANS? For that matter, those who want amnesty for illegal aliens should be proving that such an amnesty would really be the LAST--and that means enforcing the law and deporting those who have broken it. Keep letting them off, and we who vote have every reason to make sure that there is NOT amnesty in the future and even tougher laws. As it is, the Supreme Court yesterday gave strength to the argument that States have a right to enforce immigration laws--and Virginia is one of those states requiring use of eVerify.
Carl
12:53 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Just another way the Department of Homeland securities infringes on people's liberty.
Ali999
1:34 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Illegal aliens infringe on AMERICANs' civil rights and liberty. Our tax monies are used to lobby for them (Casa de Maryland) and are spent providing them with services while Americans who actually pay taxes do without. Furthermore, by counting illegal aliens in the Census, the representation of AMERICANS in Congress is undermined. States with heavy illegal alien populations get more seats, as do districts. A district comprised mainly of illegal aliens gets the same vote in Congress as one made up of citizens, thereby diminishing the votes of citizens.
Carl
1:59 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Actually the opposite is true. Illegal immigrants pay more in taxes than they receive in benefits. So natives leech off illegals.
Ali999
2:12 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
On the contrary, Carl, illegal aliens STEAL jobs from Americans. Any taxes "paid" by illegal aliens would be paid by Americans doing the same job. Probably more, since Americans would be paid more without the downward pressure on wages from illegal aliens. And an illegal alien who "pays" taxes is probably doing it under a stolen SS number--thereby committing fraud and putting the American whose number he's stolen into a world of hurt with the IRS. Of course, plenty of illegal aliens do NOT pay taxes at all and are collecting welfare--either through fraud (using stolen SS numbers) or by collecting welfare on behalf of their U.S.-born kids. The SS Administration estimates 5-7 stolen SS numbers based on SS mismatches. And 30% of the welfare recipients in CA live in households headed by illegal aliens.
Carl
2:25 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
It's not the immigrants fault that people like you can't compete with them for jobs. Funny how whiny Americans get whenever they face a little competition. You're begging your government to protect your jobs instead of competing in the marketplace. Pretty sad...
Sherlock
2:24 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
The illegals fled their countries and come here demanding rights that they don't deserve. They wave their countries flags in americans faces and don't try to learn the language or the american culture. They are turning this country into the one they fled. When the U.S. had let in all the people back the early 1900 we didn't have food stamps or health care or any of the goodie that we have now, these people worked hard and didn't demand anything like the lawbreakers now. Any country that will not protect its self deserves just what it has comming to it. Welcome to the New America!!
J Mckim
2:45 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
"Actually the opposite is true. Illegal immigrants pay more in taxes than they receive in benefits. So natives leech off illegals"????? Pwahahahaahhahaha!!!!! Carl gave us some hint how US gov't can stop growing deficit problem... All tax-payer become illegal ---> best
Carl
4:22 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Fewer immigrations restrictions would definitely solve a large part of the deficit problem. This is probably the reason that 90% of economically literate people agree with me.
Ali999
3:14 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Carl, how is it illegal aliens can't compete against LEGAL workers without cheating? How is that they can't get a job without lying, cheating, and committing fraud--and finding employers that will aid and abet them? And how is it that they can't find jobs in their OWN countries? Wouldn't have anything to do with there being too many unskilled uneducated workers there? THAT's what's sad. That they, through illegal immigration, are replicating the very conditions in their home country that drove them here--and are driving Americans into unemployment to boot. Since you seem to think these are such valuable workers, how is it that they're only valuable to their home countries when they aren't there--and are sending money back from the U.S. while leaching off the U.S. taxpayer? And it's pretty sad that the only true worth of these illegal aliens to their employers is that they're CHEAP and easily exploitable. If they really were that hard to replace, they could be sponsored for jobs just as legal guest workers are.
Carl
4:24 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
You sound like a typical whiny unemployed native American who can't do his job as well as an illegal immigrant. I guess if you can't compete your next best option is to complain about phantom lying and cheating.
bartlebee
4:57 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Carl: What do you do for a living? Whatever it is, I guarantee there is somebody somewhere in the world that can do your job just as well as you can, and do at a lower salary. So if you go to work one day and your boss tells you that you're being replaced by an illegal alien worker, how would you feel about that? Would you just shrug your shoulders and say "Oh well" and turn to leave or would you get a little whiny and complain to ICE or some other government agency? Remember, not all illegal aliens work in agriculture or do other menial labor jobs. There are illegal alien engineers, IT professionals, health professionals, mechanics, managers, supervisors, etc.
Vickie
9:39 am on Saturday, May 28, 2011
Carl, you sound like a greedy creep pocketing money at the expense of legal Americans. Are you a developer?
Diane
5:22 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
These monsters are attacking American sovereignty!
Don't buy anything they protest as what they attack is our American laws, sovereignty, our jobs
and our American peace of mind.
Too bad we can't deport these monsters!
Vickie0505
6:38 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Carl---You really live in a dream world! I guess what you're saying in your vigorous support for illegal immigration is the following: 1) You think that illegal aliens are above the law. 2) You are all for the exploitation of unskilled, functionally illiterate people. 3) You think that identity theft is no big deal.
Are you really that ignorant that you can't grasp the fact that illegal aliens are lying and cheating their way through life with each day they are here? They got here by either sneaking over a border or overstaying a tourist visa, thus breaking our immigration laws. When they take jobs, they break another law---I'm sure that even you know that they are not allowed to legally work in this country. In order for them to steal a job, they either use a stolen SSN or are paid under the table.
Did you know that so many Puerto Ricans have been victims of identity fraud that the Puerto Rican government was forced to take the unprecedented step of declaring ALL Puerto Rican birth certificates null and void? Now if those who were born in Puerto Rico need a copy of their birth certificates, they have to jump through many hoops to get one.
Phantom lying and cheating? Really, Carl? You seriously need to get your head out of the sand and come down from your ivory tower.
John Bowman
8:16 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Carl sounds like an employer of illegal aliens.
Diane
8:54 am on Sunday, May 29, 2011
Carl is a Latino Vickie!
He not only uses the word "ignorant" the new attack word for American citizens. But he calls
illegal aliens "immigrants" when he knows darn well they are sneak ins and not true immigrants.
I guess calling these scum-bag illegals "immigrants" give these illegal foreigners a coat of paint
to whitewash their devious true presents in our once wonderful country.
I say "once" because in Los Angeles American citizens are wary of even entering a ball park today.
Latinos attacked an American citizens for wearing a Giant Jacket instead of a Dodger Jacket.
If you can believe it?
John Bowman
8:14 pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Gee, why don't we demand the government stop enforcing tax and embezzlement laws also? Hey Americans want a better life also.
Vickie
9:34 am on Saturday, May 28, 2011
Al Qaeda would be wise to stop any efforts at isolated explosions, etc. and contribute to La Raza. That is by far more effective in flushing this country down a third world toilet than trying to bomb us.
Diane
8:47 am on Sunday, May 29, 2011
Carl
12:54pm on Friday, May 27, 2011
Pretty ignorant stuff here. Immigrants actually commit less violent crime than native born Americans.
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Can you spot the open border Latino here? They've worn out the word "racist". The new open border
attack is the word "IGNORANT".
I can spot a Latino any place anytime.