ACLU Comment on Trump Announcement to Fund Police Departments That Promise to Target Immigrants

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department announced today that it will allocate tens of millions of dollars in federal funding to police departments that promise to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

Lorella Praeli, director of immigration policy and campaigns at the American Civil Liberties Union, had the following reaction:

“The Trump administration is hell-bent on coercing local police to implement its racist agenda. By funding local police departments that agree to target immigrants, President Trump is making communities less safe. Hundreds of thousands will now be reluctant to report incidents of domestic violence and other crimes because they are scared of being detained or deported.

“The Justice Department has previously tried and failed to make this policy a reality and has been shut down by federal courts. Instead of instilling trust between communities and law enforcement, Trump is solidifying his ultimate goal: to create a divided and fearful country.”