Baylor Johnson
Online Advocacy Coordinator, ACLU of Florida
Right now, two sheriff’s offices in Florida are participating in a program that has led to racial profiling and created fear in minority communities. This program goes beyond the infamous Arizona anti-immigrant law, not just involving local law enforcement officers in asking about immigration status, but actually deputizing these officers to perform immigration enforcement functions on behalf of the federal government. But like the Arizona law, this program is ripe for abuse.
The federal program, known as 287(g), deputizes local police in Collier County and Jacksonville as immigration enforcers, with virtually no training, oversight, or accountability. This program not only increases racial profiling and wastes precious law enforcement resources, but also damages the community’s trust in law enforcement and alienates victims and witnesses of crime.
But you can change that. Because the agreements in place in Florida to participate in the program are set to expire in January 2013, we have the opportunity to end our state’s participation once and for all. Now is the time to make Florida a “287(g)-free zone.”
That’s why we need you to join us in asking Senators Rubio and Nelson to end the agreements. Tell our Senators that Floridians want a state that treats all residents with dignity and respect.
ACLU of Florida 