It’s not surprising that Secure Communities, a deeply flawed federal deportation program from the start, is finally facing growing criticism from states and immigrant rights advocates: it simply doesn’t work (“States Resisting Program Central to Obama’s Immigration Strategy,” news article, May 6).

As Cardozo School of Law found, the vast majority of people deported because of Secure Communities — 79 percent — were either noncriminals or picked up for low-level offenses, like traffic offenses. Rather than focusing on dangerous criminals, gang members or smugglers, Secure Communities is mostly deporting hard-working people.

By targeting the wrong immigrants and pushing them into the shadows, and distracting police from their real job, Secure Communities is a misuse of taxpayer dollars. Furthermore, rather than making us safer, Secure Communities undermines the trust-based police-community relationship our neighborhoods need.

This is just another example of the failed Bush-era enforcement-only measures that do nothing to secure our borders while worsening conditions across the country.

Rounding up the people who clean offices, take care of the sick, baby-sit and do a host of important jobs does not make us any more secure or help our struggling economy, and it runs counter to everything we aspire to as a community.

HECTOR FIGUEROA
New York, May 11, 2011
The writer is secretary-treasurer, Local 32BJ S.E.I.U., representing building service workers.

Re "Putnam police join illegal-immigrant program," Nov. 14 article:

There is no question that those who commit crimes should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, but forcing over-burdened local police to take on federal immigration responsibilities, as the newly introduced Secure Communities program does, will push undocumented workers further into the shadows and distract police officers from protecting us from real threats to our safety. It will also scare immigrants, making them less likely to report crimes.

Virtually all undocumented immigrant workers are otherwise law-abiding taxpayers, not criminals. They live in our communities and contribute to our economy. They clean our buildings and take care of our children and elderly, but are too often exploited by rogue and irresponsible employers who take advantage of their uncertain legal status. Harsh measures such as detention and deportation under Secure Communities misuses taxpayer dollars and does nothing to address our immigration crisis. These measures haven't worked in other places, and they won't work in Putnam County.

Hector Figueroa
New Rochelle

The writer is secretary treasurer of Local 32BJ SEIU (Service Employees International Union).

Published: October 8, 2010

The following statement can be attributed to Hector Figueroa, 32BJ Secretary Treasurer:

“Denying students the opportunity to stay legally in the USA is not only morally wrong but economically dim-witted. By blocking passage of the DREAM Act the GOP has left hundreds of thousands of highly motivated students and future entrepreneurs, doctors and scientists in a state of limbo that will take a toll in our “high-skills-hungry” economy.”

With more than 120,000 members in eight states, 32BJ is the largest property service workers union in the country.

Héctor Figueroa
Secretary Treasurer 32BJ (212-539-2940)

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“Negar a estudiantes la oportunidad de permanecer legalmente en el país donde han vivido durante casi toda su vida no sólo es moralmente incorrecto, sino económicamente estúpido. Al bloquear la aprobación de la DREAM ACT los republicanos han dejado a cientos de miles de estudiantes altamente motivados y futuros empresarios, médicos y científicos en un estado de limbo, que tendrá un peaje en nuestra economía que necesita de trabajadores cualificados como agua de mayo.”

La organización de la que soy directivo tiene más de 120.000 afiliados en ocho estados y es el  mayor sindicato de trabajadores de servicios a propiedades en el país.

Héctor Figueroa
Secretario de la 32BJ (212-539-2940)

• Este freno que le puso el Senado, en especial los republicanos, para discutir el Dream Act es un cachetazo a la comunidad Latina y una frustración a cerca de 1 millón de estudiantes que estarán en una situación de desconcierto cuando terminen sus estudios secundarios.

Steven Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies might want to think that immigrants are a burden to the taxpayers ["Study: Immigrants add $10.6B to LI Economy," Oct. 28], but the Adelphi University study clearly shows what many Long Islanders already know: Immigrants are good for Long Island business and good for the economy. They generate some $10.6 billion in economic activity, which created more than 82,000 jobs in 2006. As the rest of us, they pay taxes that run our schools, infrastructure and public programs such as Medicare and Social Security.

Immigrants and their families are an important part of our community life and cultural fabric and as older workers retire and leave gaps in our workforce, they will not only be helpful, but indispensable in keeping our economy strong.

Hector Figueroa

Editor's note: The writer is secretary-treasurer of the building service workers union 32BJ SEIU.

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The US Census Bureau released data showing a decline in the number of immigrants arriving to the US. “Despite this year's drop in immigration levels, America is the land of opportunity for millions of immigrants, and for America these immigrants are a way to keep our economy strong.

Immigrants represent more than 15% of our workforce and generate $700 billion in economic activity a year. However, our broken immigration system is fueling an underground economy that undermines standards for working people. Congress should bring our immigration system into line with our economic interests and humanitarian values by adopting immigration reform that creates a path to citizenship for 12 million hardworking taxpaying immigrants”

Hector Figueroa,
32BJ Secretary Treasurer

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Re ''New Jersey's Immigration Crackdown'' (editorial, April 16):

There is no question that those who commit crimes should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. But allowing local police authorities to act as quasi-immigration enforcement wades into dangerous territory.

The actions against immigrants seen lately in towns and cities across New Jersey should give all of us pause. Rounding up the people who clean New Jersey's offices and homes, take care of the sick and elderly, and do a host of other jobs important to our economy is not the solution to the our nation's immigration problem.

Divisive enforcement-only measures misuse taxpayer dollars and spread fear in our communities. They also scare immigrants, making them less likely to report real crimes.

These measures haven't worked in other places, and they won't work in New Jersey.

Hector Figueroa
New York, April 17, 2008

The writer is the secretary treasurer for 32BJ S.E.I.U., one of the biggest private-sector unions in the country.