National Campaign and FOIA Lawsuit Challenge Secrecy of ICE Program, Heightened Local, State Police Collaboration

 

Washington, DC - The National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), the Immigration Justice Clinic of the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, advocates and community members will hold a press conference in Washington, DC and webcasted live at www.UncovertheTruth.org on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. announcing a lawsuit demanding records related to the little-known United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) program "Secure Communities." The program further embroils local and state law enforcement agencies in federal immigration enforcement. The press conference will also launch "Uncovering the Truth," a weeklong national campaign of coordinated actions and advocacy.

 

"ICE's so-called Secure Communities program is growing at an alarming rate-more than 150 jurisdictions so far-without public knowledge or discourse," said CCR attorney Sunita Patel. "S.B. 1070 and the recent, dangerous ICE raids in Arizona have already proven that ICE and local or state police collaboration will only further erode public trust in law enforcement, systematize racial profiling, create incentives for illegal arrests and prevent police from doing their job, failing to keep our communities safe."

 

WHAT:    Press conference announcing FOIA lawsuit and launch of "Uncovering the Truth" week of coordinated action

 

WHEN:    April 27, 2010 at 10:00 a.m.

 

WHERE:    The Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. and streaming at www.UncovertheTruth.org

 

WHO:    Ron Hampton, National Black Police Association Executive Director; Ben Jealous, NAACP, President and CEO (Invited); Pablo Alvarado, NDLON Executive Director; Jaime Contreras, 32BJ SEIU Capitol Area Director & District Chair; Sunita Patel, CCR Attorney; Johnny Barnes, Executive Director of the National Capitol Area ACLU; Sameera Hafiz, Legal Momentum Senior Staff Attorney

 

For more information on the Secure Communities program and the FOIA request, media contacts, press conferences and events visit www.UncovertheTruth.org. Follow the campaign on Twitter by searching for #StopICE.