Help us get local police out of the business of deportation: End 287(g) in Harris County
Sheriff Ron Hickman, Harris County
Harris County is home to more deportations than any other county in the U.S. primarily due to the 287(g) program, a federal program that gives local jail officials authority to act as federal deportation agents at local taxpayer expense. This program has been widely criticized for resulting in the racial profiling of Latinos, separating families and violating constitutional rights. Harris County’s agreement to participate in the program is voluntary and is up for renewal or termination in June of this year. With a jail plagued with officer abuse and deaths due to poor jail conditions, the Sheriff’s Department should not be taking on the work of ICE.
This June 11th, immigrant youth members of United We Dream will fight back - and you can be a part of it by demanding the Sheriff stop tearing communities apart! Sign the petition and your petition will be personally delivered.
If enough of us sign this petition, we can help stop this damaging and racist program! Demand that interim Sheriff Ron Hickman terminate the 287(g) program up for renewal June 30, 2016.
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To:
Sheriff Ron Hickman, Harris County
From:
[Your Name]
I am writing to ask that you terminate the 287(g) contract ICE has with your office by June 30, 2016.
Working with ICE is bad for public safety. Local involvement in federal immigration enforcement leads to costly civil rights violations and litigation and further damages the already fraught confidence in local police. Having ICE agents or deputized 287(g) agents in the jail makes it clear that Harris County law enforcement is not safe for immigrants, making the community less likely to report crimes or act as witnesses.
The 287(g) program turns over thousands of residents to ICE every year, tearing apart families and leaving children without parents to provide for them. These deportations affect non-immigrants in Harris County as well, as they undermine public safety and disrupt the workforce. Moreover, deportations put a huge burden on child and social welfare agencies, who must provide for citizen children whose parents have been taken from them by the federal government and Harris County officers.
Furthermore, Harris County is not legally obligated to help with immigration enforcement. Helping the federal government find and deport people is not Harris County’s job. In fact, the county would save about $1 million per year by dropping the 287(g) program entirely. This program comes at the cost of other vital services that the County could improve, such as education and social services, which will better promote the wellbeing of our community.
For these reasons we ask that you, interim Sheriff Ron Hickman, ask that you terminate this damaging 287(g) program by June 30, 2016.