New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced this week that his state will
no longer participate in the Secure Communities program. New York is the
second state to choose not to participate in this federal immigration
enforcement program. “There are concerns about the implementation of the
program as well as its impact on families, immigrant communities and
law enforcement in New York,” wrote Cuomo in a letter to the Department
of Homeland Security. “As a result, New York is suspending its
participation in the program.”
New York will review whether the Secure Communities program is
successfully meeting its goal to deport convicted felons, stated Cuomo’s
office in a press release issued this week as well. The statement also
commented that it appeared Secure Communities is not only failing in
deporting convicted felons, but is also “undermining law enforcement.”
Secure Communities is an information-sharing program between state,
local and federal enforcement agencies. It gives the FBI access to
fingerprints taken by local police; the FBI then shares this information
with Homeland Security.
