Group petitions to stop Secure Communities launch

Hartford, Conn. (WTNH) - The Immigration and Customs Enforcement program known as Secure Communities has created a good bit of controversy, but it officially began on Wednesday.

Lrella Praeli, with Connecticut Students With a Dream, an organization that works with undocumented residents who are students, calls it "coming out of the shadows."

"There are a number of people here, who are undocumented, myself included," she said, standing outside the "all of Flags at the State Capital in Hartford.

Several pro-immigrant groups presented a petition Wednesday morning to Mike Lawlor, Under Secretary for Criminal Justice Policy and Planning.

[ Click here to read the petition in English , or here to read it in Spanish ]

They are protesting the implementation of the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement program called Secure Communities. In summary, fingerprints taken by local police during a criminal arrest are then electronically sent to the FBI, and now, ICE, to check for immigration violations.

Monday, New Haven Mayor John DeStefano and his police chief, Dean Esserman, publicly denounced the program, saying it creates division in a community and hinders police from developing relationships.

"This is not right for Connecticut. Not now, not ever," Praeli said. "I don't think Connecticut has to do this. I think it took people incredible courage to step out of the shadows, not in a public way, not with their voices, but certainly with their body today."

Secure Communities officially started Wednesday. Some cities have noted earlier success. News 8 asked Praeli about how Danbury's Mayor Mark Boughton told reporter Jamie Muro of a number of arrests that occurred in his city last year. Several of those arrested, and subsequently deported, were violent criminals.

"My response would be the taskforce in the Department of Homeland Security has come up with recommendations saying this program is flawed," Praeli said.

Malloy says the state must watch this closely, and believes there is a big difference between ICE detaining someone who was pulled over for a minor moving violation and a serious crime.

"I think that, we're taking an approach to that issue, by saying that it should be done on a case by case basis," Malloy said.

Secure Communities has created a storm of controversy in other states as well, but protestors vow that as long as ICE pushes this on municipalities, they will push back.

"This is a program that makes our skin crawl," Praeli said.