According to a recent editorial in the New York Times, Janet Napolitano is reviewing immigration enforcement efforts, and looking for ways to expand the 287(g) program. The 287(g) program enables local police to arrest and detain undocumented immigrants under ICE jurisdiction. "Sheriff Arpaio is a powerful argument for doing just the opposite," the NY Times says.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/opinion/06fri2.html

"The most famous 287(g) partner is Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona. ICE gave him the largest and most powerful agreement, after his office was ordered to pay $43 million in death and abuse lawsuits.  He has been nationally criticized for sweeps of day laborers and racial profiling," says Aarti Shahani of Families for Freedom. And that’s not all. "America's toughest sheriff" is the target of more than 2700 civil rights lawsuits and has a backlog of 40,000 felony arrest warrants because of his publicity-seeking stunts involving immigrant detainees in his infamous "tent city." 

Proponents of 287(g) claim that the program makes our communities safer by facilitating the deportation of "dangerous convicted criminals."  In reality, the program has been mostly used to target people accused of minor offenses. Many Latino residents, including citizens, have been wrongfully detained and harassed by local police under 287(g) agreements. As a result, Latino communities feel increasingly under siege as anyone with brown skin is subject to being stopped and racially profiled.

ICE assures us that, "The 287(g) program is not designed to allow state and local agencies to perform random street operations. It does not impact traffic offenses such as driving without a license unless the offense leads to an arrest."Tell this to Juana Villegas DeLaPaz. Her ordeal began when she was pulled over by Berry Hill, TN police during a routine traffic stop. Villegas DeLaPaz is the young woman who was forced to give birth while shackled to her bed by wrists and ankles, as an armed male guard hovered over her.  According to Latina Lista, the Berry Hill police subjected Villegas, "to such emotional terror that it caused her to go into labor and endure the next few days of unspeakable treatment at the hands of those entrusted to protect their communities."

http://www.latinalista.net/palabrafinal/2008/07/special_sunday_post_nashvillearea_police.html

Tell it to the little girl who was wrenched from her mother's arms in Maricopa County because of unpaid traffic tickets:

http://immigration.change.org/blog/view/i_wanted_to_go_with_my_mommy

On Saturday, February 28, the Latino community marched by the thousands in Phoenix Arizona to denounce Sheriff Arpaio and the 287(g) agreements that empowered him to lay siege to the Latino community in Maricopa County. Let's support them by saying NO to 287(g) agreements in our communities. 

Please write to Secretary Janet Napolitano, President Obama and your representatives to denounce the 287(g) program and let them know about the devastating effect it is having on immigrant communities across America.

Secretary Janet Napolitano
Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528
202-282-8010

* Tell them: We say NO! to 287(g) agreements and racial profiling in our communities. 

* Denounce the abuses taking place under the 287(g) program.

Thank you for your support.