As we focus on building more inclusive communities, we support local and federal policing reforms that seek to eliminate racial profiling and disproportionate targeting of communities of color.
Immigrants, family members of immigrants, and individuals perceived to be immigrants should not be vulnerable when interacting with police, or fear retribution if they report being victim or witness to a crime. We encourage policies that emphasize effective community policing for the safety of all community members, citizens and non-citizens alike.
Background
When the Secure Communities program started in 2008, it blurred the lines between federal immigration enforcement and local police. Under Secure Communities, the fingerprints of every single individual arrested and booked into custody were checked against immigration records and shared with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Far from making communities more secure, the program actually resulted in fewer reported crimes and made communities with large immigrant populations more vulnerable.
In order to promote community safety, many localities and law enforcement officials came out against the Secure Communities program and limited the collaboration between local police and immigration enforcement. Many of these localities, dubbed “Sanctuary Cities”, continue to be wary of the 2014 replacement Priorities Enforcement Program (PEP) and other legislative proposals that would mandate collaboration between local police and federal immigration officials.
Address the Broken System
Effective policing depends on trust between police officers and the communities they serve. Perpetrators of crime, assault, and abuse know that these communities are less likely to report the crime if they legitimately fear it will result in the deportation or detention of an immigrant neighbor, a loved one, or themselves. Until there is a major overhaul of the immigration system through congressional reform, hardworking, taxpaying community members will continue to fear retribution from a broken, unjust system. Separating local policing from immigration enforcement promotes the safety of the whole community.
FCNL looks for immigration reform legislation that rests on recognition of the inherent worth of all individuals, as acknowledged in our Quaker faith, as well as in our shared Constitution, laws, and American values. We look towards Congress to reform the immigration system in a realistic, compassionate manner for individuals and families. Once a rational employment-based and family-based immigration system is established, immigrants will be able to enter the country through that legal process, and the need for heightened enforcement measures will diminish.
Our call as Quakers to welcome the stranger does not rest on the legal status of any individual.
