State Representative Daniel Webster (R-Pembroke) said in a press release Monday that he is extremely frustrated by the Governor’s recent decision to opt out of the federal Secure Communities program. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) received notice that the Governor will not sign a memorandum of understanding, via a letter dated Friday, written by Public Safety Secretary Mary Beth Heffernan to Acting Secure Communities Director Marc Rapp.

Secure Communities is a program that incorporates an existing information sharing capability between DHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ) with local law enforcement procedures. With this innovative procedure, the fingerprints of an individual who is arrested and booked for a crime in Massachusetts are not only checked against FBI criminal history records, but also checked against DHS immigration records.

“This is a strategy that would help make Massachusetts safer,” said Representative Webster. “By choosing to opt out of Secure Communities, the Governor is denying the Commonwealth an opportunity to make progress toward improved public safety.”

If fingerprints match DHS records, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has the authority to deport aliens who are in the country illegally.

“There are over 25,000 aliens who are not only in our country illegally, but they are also breaking our criminal laws,” said Representative Webster. “If this administration is truly concerned about the welfare of Massachusetts citizens, participation in Secure Communities should be a priority,” he concluded.

If you have any questions, you may call Rachel Michael at Representative Webster’s State House office at 617-722-2487 or e-mail Rachel.Michael@mahouse.gov.