Crime & Safety
Newark Police Opt Out of Program Targeting Suspected Illegal Immigrants
'Secure Communities' allowed police to hold people accused of minor crimes if there was suspicion they were in the country illegally.
Newark’s police department has become the latest in the country—and the first in New Jersey—to refrain from detaining people in minor crimes who are also suspected of being illegal immigrants, NJ.com reported.
Under the “Secure Communities” program, federal immigration officials since 2011 have asked municipalities across the nation to detain people suspected of being in the country illegally for up to 48 hours. Other cities that have formally opted out of the program include New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Newark Police Director Samuel DeMaio implemented the new policy in July. Newark police will no longer comply with immigration agency requests to hold suspects accused of minor, nonviolent crimes, although they will continue to share fingerprint information with federal investigators.
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The move won praise from the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
“With this policy in place, Newark residents will not have to fear that something like a wrongful arrest for a minor offense will lead to deportation,” Udi Ofer, the chapter’s executive director, told NJ.com. “It ensures that if you’re a victim of a crime, or have witnessed a crime, you can contact the police without having to fear deportation.”Find out what's happening in Newarkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
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