Washington Post (Maryland)
By Ovetta Wiggins
August 13, 2015
Dozens
of people of all ages marched around the iron fence surrounding the
governor’s mansion in Annapolis on Thursday, protesting Maryland Gov.
Larry Hogan’s decision
to notify federal immigration officials when an illegal immigrant
targeted for deportation is released from the state-run Baltimore City
Detention Center.
They chanted in Spanish: “The people united will never be divided” and “We are in the fight.”
They
said they hoped to compel Hogan (R) to reconsider his decision, which
was made with no fanfare shortly after he took office in January.
Advocates worry that the action
could lead to the deportations of people who have not committed serious
crimes.
“We
want Maryland to remain a welcoming state,” said Gustavo Andrade,
organizing director for Casa de Maryland, an immigrant advocacy group.
“Our community will not be
scapegoated, and our families will not be separated so extreme
politicians can score cheap points.”
A
spokesman for Hogan said the advocates are misdirecting their
criticism, noting that Hogan is simply complying with a request of the
Obama administration.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan. (Patrick Semansky/AP)
“Casa wants to make this about Governor Hogan and it’s not,” Matt Clark said. “It’s White House policy.”
The
Obama administration asked local officials this summer to notify their
federal counterparts 48 hours before an immigrant who is being targeted
for deportation is scheduled
to be released so that agents can move to detain them. The agency says
only immigrants who have been convicted of a serious crime, are involved
in a gang or are considered a threat to national security would be
targeted.
The
issue of local governments cooperating with federal authorities in
dealing with illegal immigrants has come to the forefront since the
slaying last month of Kathryn
Steinle, 31, in San Francisco. The suspect in that case, Juan Francisco
Lopez-Sanchez, had been released from custody in April by San Francisco
authorities despite a request from Homeland Security for the seven-time
felon to be detained so that he could be
deported back to Mexico.
Advocates
say Hogan’s decision runs counter to the position taken by former
governor Martin O’Malley (D), who refused to cooperate with some of the
federal government’s
immigration enforcement efforts.
They
sent a letter to Hogan on Thursday asking him not to comply with the
federal request. Hogan has no obligation to cooperate, Andrade said, and
many mayors in big cities
across the country have opted not to because of questions that
surrounded the federal government’s previous effort, known as Secure
Communities. Under that program, the Department of Homeland Security
asked police to hold immigrants it wanted to deport for
up to 48 hours after their scheduled release from custody. The program
received backlash from advocates and elected officials, who raised legal
and civil liberties concerns with U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement.
“Until
ICE can prove itself worthy of trust, we ask that you decline to send
notification to it about release,” said the letter signed by about 25
immigration advocates
and civil rights organizations. “In light of the enormous federal
failure to repair a broken immigration system, we ask that you remain
focused on building the strongest local communities possible.”
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
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