Immigration Crackdown: The Secure Communities Debate: Can Local Governments Opt Out?

A close-up look at how Secure Communities actually works in San Diego, California

The Secure Communities Debate: Can Local Governments Opt Out? | Fronteras: "When someone is arrested for a felony or misdemeanor in San Diego County, he or she ends up in one of the county’s jails.

“This is where the identification process begins, so every person who comes under our custody gets fingerprinted regardless of their charges,” said Sheriff’s Capt. Daniel Peña, facing a sign listing typical misdemeanor and felony charges. Peña runs San Diego County’s central jail downtown.

Whether they are U.S. citizens, or immigrants who are here illegally or not, their fingers are scanned by a bulky blue and white machine, property of the county. The machine takes a snapshot of the fingerprints and enters that information into a database, which is in turn shared with state agencies and the FBI. The goal is to get those who’ve committed serious crimes out of the country. But critics say the net is being cast too broadly."