The so called new Federal regulations for Deportations are a government scam. The people without documents get no benefit from them. Purportedly the new regulations target only criminals and “security risks”. However there is nothing in the new regulations that prohibits the deportation of any non citizen for any infraction no matter how small. The fact remains that the Obama presidency has deported more people than the Bush presidency in the same time period. The new regulations are effectively a means to expedite deportations.
People without papers have heard that the new regulations will provide a work card to those not deported. There is NOTHING in the regulations that guarantees a work card. Those who turn themselves in to the Immigration authorities, looking for a work card, will probably be deported.
The new regulations have prompted some people to give thousands of dollars to ‘fixers’ who fraudulently tell people they can get work cards. The reality is no one can guarantee a work card, if you do not have papers. Massachusetts Immigrants and Refugees Coalition as well as the American immigration Lawyers were right when at their September 6, 2011 presentation at the Worcester Library they warned people to run from those who ask for thousands of dollars to get a work card.
The deportation scam is not only on the Federal level. Local politicians, such as Worcester City Councillor, Konnie Lukes has cynically used the issue of Deportations to create racial division while running for mayor. She first asked that police send all finger prints to Immigration and this request to City Councillor went to the Public Safety Committee. The police told her that regulation compelled them to send finger prints to the State first. Now Councillor Lukes has asked the Law Department to find a loophole so that the Police Department can send finger prints directly to Immigration authorities.
There is some hope. The Human Rights Commission has decided at it September 12, 2011 meeting to hold hearings on the Deportation scam know as Secure Communities. Worcester Immigrants Coalition is holding worker rights training.
