Published: August 23, 2008
Departing from Operation Schedule Departure
Group Says ICE Program Proves a Resounding Hypocritical Failure
Los Angeles, CA: Calling it a dismal and hypocritical attempt at showing concern for immigrants, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) criticized the Bush Administration and the investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), on the last day of "Scheduled Departure", a pilot program aimed at luring immigrants with deportation orders to turn themselves in.
"This week marks the end of one more episode of incompetence and cynicism on the part of the Bush Administration and ICE," said Angelica Salas, CHIRLA's Executive Director. "Rather than admit that their disruptive enforcement policies have gone too far, even violating constitutional rights of citizens and permanent residents, ICE chose to engage in a publicity stunt that will be remembered as a hypocritical show of concern for immigrants."
"ICE seems to think they can easily fool the American people into believing the U.S. is honestly working on enforcing our country's broken immigration laws. The question we should all ask is, can an unjust and inhuman law be enforced justly and humanely?"
"Raids continue to tear families apart and remain the most savage form of enforcement policy. We urge the Bush Administration to use its executive power to order an immediate moratorium on raids, detentions, and deportations while Congress gets the courage to move forward on realistic and humane immigration reform," added Ms. Salas.
In addition to an immediate cease on raids and deportations, and bringing the more than 12 million unauthorized immigrants out of the shadows by advancing a humane and realistic immigration reform bill, CHIRLA has long advocated for the end of backlogs on visa and citizenship applications, more investment in integration programs for new Americans, and equal protection for all native-born and immigrant workers.
ICE announced the program was targeted at an estimated 457,000 group of immigrants with no criminal record who did not appear in front of a judge or leave the country when told to do so. An estimated 60% of unauthorized immigrants has lived in the United States for more than 12 years, thus making it very difficult for anyone to accept that a mere 90-day period would be sufficient time to put one's "affairs in order".
The Scheduled Departure Program was to take place from August 5 - 22, 2008, in five cities: Charlotte (NC), Chicago (IL), Santa Ana and San Diego (CA), and Phoenix (AR). CHIRLA says only eight people turned themselves in.
Editor's Note: NewsBlaze was unable to confirm this number with the Immigration department.
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles
www.chirla.org
2533 W. Third Street, Ste 101,
Los Angeles, CA 90057
Phone: 213.353.1333
Search News
Daily News
