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<h1>Say No to Secure Communities!</h1>
<p><strong>When:</strong> Wednesday, December 22, 2010, 11:00 am<br><strong>Where: </strong>Massachusetts State House steps • Beacon St. at Park St. • Park St. T • Boston</p>
<h2>Urgent Action: Denounce Massachusetts' Intention to Sign On to Secure Communities</h2>
<p><img vspace="5" hspace="10" align="right" alt="" src="http://justicewithpeace.org/files/u1/CentroDemo_0.png">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.</p>
<p>Come and support our campaign!</p>
<p>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</p>
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<h2>Background</h2>
<p>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.</p>
<p>“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.</p>
<p>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.<br><br>
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? </p>
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<td class="view-field view-field-node-title"><a href="http://justicewithpeace.org/node/2131">No to Secure Communities!</a></td>
<td class="view-field view-field-event-event-start">Wed Dec 22</td>
<td class="view-field view-field-event-event-start">11:00am</td>
<td class="view-field view-field-location-name">Massachusetts State House steps</td>
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<td class="view-field view-field-node-title"><a href="http://justicewithpeace.org/node/2090">Ruined</a></td>
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