Deportations prompt protest outside Obama's Chicago campaign headquarters

[The Northerner]

Growing frustration with the nation’s immigration policies drew about 70 protestors to President Barack Obama’s Chicago campaign headquarters on Tuesday to call for an end to “Secure Communities,” a controversial program that has led to the deportation of minor criminal offenders along with the hardened felons it targets.

“Our president must understand we are tired of being told sweet words, promises. We want action,” said Oscar Chacon of the National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities.

Chacon’s organization helped coordinate a multi-city “national day of action” on the issue and was joined by several Latino groups being courted by Obama’s re-election campaign.

Concerns have grown over Secure Communities after the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier this month said the program would be extended nationally by 2013, even if Illinois and several other states that have opposed it don’t agree to participate. Gov. Pat Quinn in May sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security declaring Illinois’ formal withdraw from Secure Communities.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-deportations-prompt-protest-outside-obamas-chicago-campaign-headquarters-20110816,0,4097428.story

[pampango]

1. "a study that called Secure Communities a failure and cited local law enforcement officials..."

"On Tuesday, a coalition of immigrant advocacy groups released a study that called Secure Communities a failure and cited local law enforcement officials from several states who said it interfered with other police work.

While many of those caught through Secure Communities have been convicted murderers, rapists and pedophiles, the program has also pulled in people convicted of lesser crimes, such as traffic violations, immigration advocates say.

“The point of the lawsuit is to point out that these folks still have constitutional rights and that needs to establish probable cause before issuing a detainer and need to have an opportunity to challenge when a detainer is unlawfully lodged against them,” Fleming said."