The U.S. has deported nearly two million undocumented immigrants in the last five years, largely through a program known as “Secure Communities” or “S-COM” which encourages local police to detain immigrants, something historically under federal jurisdiction. Around the country, this has eroded trust between local police and communities, as many are afraid to report crime for fear of deportation and thus become targets of theft, violent crime, employer exploitation, human trafficking, and domestic abuse due to their immigration status. People of faith have worked with immigrants’ rights groups and local, county and state officials to stop the detrimental effects of S-COM. Join this workshop with Salvador Sarmiento of the National Day Laborers Organizing Network (NDLON); Gabriel Camacho of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) in Massachusetts; and Jen Smyers of Church World Service (CWS) to discuss successful best practices and brainstorm about how people of faith can promote better community safety policies that build welcoming communities.

Speakers: