Secretary John Kelly’s memos to the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) detail unprecedented operating guidelines that lay the groundwork for President Trump’s inhumane plan for mass deportation under his administration.
There is no question that dangerous criminals should not be allowed to stay in this country illegally, but under these new guidelines, our immigration agency only wastes limited resources by indiscriminately targeting non-violent immigrants. These directives only serve to create panic in our immigrant communities and simultaneously make them less safe by promoting mistrust of local law enforcement.
My office is closely monitoring the situation on the Central Coast and met with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officials in Santa Maria to ascertain the extent of their operations and future operating procedure regarding deportations under this administration.
Local ICE has informed us that so far there has been no significant change in ICE operating procedure on the Central Coast, and their focus remains on apprehending individuals with previous, high-level criminal convictions, not large-scale enforcement actions.
Immigrants have long contributed to the strength and vibrancy of America. The only way forward in solving our immigration crisis is through comprehensive immigration reform, not through xenophobic and misguided policies that dehumanize our immigrant populations
This article appears in Mar 2-9, 2017.
