[act-ma] [UJP Activist] Say No to Secure Communities!

[United for Justice with Peace]

UJP Activist: Say No to Secure Communities!








SAY NO TO SECURE COMMUNITIES!
============================================================

When: Wednesday, December 22, 2010, 11:00 am
Where: Massachusetts State House steps • Beacon St. at Park St. • Park St.
T • Boston

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Urgent Action: Denounce Massachusetts' Intention to Sign On to Secure
Communities
------------------------------------------------------------

Since it was revealed in the summer that the City of Boston had been
secretly participating in Secure Communities, Centro Presente, with the support
of ACLUMass and AFSC-Project Voice, has been running a campaign to educate
our community and allies about the effects of this program.

Come and support our campaign!

Supporters: AFSC Project VOICE, Brazilian Immigrant Center, Boston May
Day Committee, Boston New Sanctuary Movement, Cambridge United for Justice
with Peace, Centro Presente, Greater Boston United for Justice with Peace, The
Immigration Task Force of First Parish in Cambridge, Jobs With Justice - MA,
Matahari – Eye of the Day, Neighbors United for a Better East Boston (NUBE),
Student Immigrant Movement and United for a Fair Economy

 

------------------------------------------------------------
Background
------------------------------------------------------------

The State of Massachusetts has announced that it will formally sign on to the
controversial Secure Communities program that will pass the data of all people
who are processed by local police through Department of Homeland Security and
Department of Justice databases in search of those who are undocumented
regardless of any other criminal record that they may or may not have. Once
identified these people are detained and deported.

“It is very lamentable that in a State that is considered one of the most
progressive in the country that the Patrick Administration would sign on to
something as odious as the ironically-named “Secure Communities” program.
Far from making our communities secure, this program counters decades of
community policing and outreach efforts in places like Greater Boston by casting
doubt on the intentions of the actions of local law enforcement in immigrant
neighborhoods,” said Patricia Montes, Executive Director of Centro Presente.

On behalf of our members of the Latino immigrant community of Massachusetts,
Centro Presente denounces this action of Governor Patrick in the strongest terms
possible. It is completely reasonable to prosecute serious criminals but not at
the expense of people whose only “crime” is to be trapped in a failed
immigration system. There are ample cases and studies that clearly illustrate
that in every instance where laws such as these are implemented, the incidence
of racial profiling increases. Essentially Boston has said to the immigrant
community “trust us, we want to work with you” while at the same time they
have used their undisclosed participation in this program since 2006 to deport
individuals who by their own categorization are “non-criminals.” And now
this program will be open for implementation across the State.

Clearly from the National level to the State to local authorities, many of our
politicians are running scared from Tea Party extremists, xenophobes and
racists. If our so-called progressive elected officials enact the same
prejudicial laws and programs that we would expect from conservative
politicians, then who is the community to turn to? 

 

 






		 [1]



United for Justice with Peace [2] is a coalition of peace and justice
organizations and community peace groups in the Greater Boston region. The UJP
Coalition, formed after September 11th, seeks global peace through social and
economic justice.

Help us continue to do this critical work!   Make a donation to UJP today. [3]

Please forward this message widely

            



ujpcoalition at gmail.com [4]

            
            617-383-4UJP (NEW!)

            		www.justicewithpeace.org [5]



 



Upcoming Events: 











 



		No to Secure Communities! [6]

		Wed Dec 22

		11:00am

		Massachusetts State House steps

		Boston

 

		Ruined [7]

		Fri Jan 7

		8:00pm

		Huntington Theater

		Boston

		

		Making Connections: Boston to NATO [8]

		Sat Jan 22

		1:00pm

		Cambridge Friends Center

		Cambridge

 

		Massachusetts Peace Action Annual Meeting [9]

		Sat Jan 29

		1:00pm

		First Baptist Church

		Newton Center

		






More Peace and Justice Events [10].    How to Submit Events [11] 

 












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[1] http://justicewithpeace.org
[2] http://justicewithpeace.org
[3] http://justicewithpeace.org/donate
[4] ujpcoalition at gmail.com
[5] http://www.justicewithpeace.org
[6] http://justicewithpeace.org/node/2131
[7] http://justicewithpeace.org/node/2090
[8] http://justicewithpeace.org/node/2003
[9] http://justicewithpeace.org/node/2004
[10] http://justicewithpeace.org/upcoming-events
[11] http://justicewithpeace.org/posting-events
[12] http://justicewithpeace.org/newsletter/confirm/remove/54b7b5e2b33505t76
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