By Asha DuMonthier, New America Media
For undocumented immigrants, reporting domestic violence can be a daunting task. Many fear that they could end up being detained and possibly even deported through the federal Secure Communities program, which requires police to share with immigration officials the fingerprints of anyone police arrest. As a result, many victims of abuse are afraid to call the police. But new legislation now being considered by San Francisco supervisors could change that.
Supporters of the Due Process for All Ordinance say that, if passed, it would go a long way in helping to rebuild trust between victims and local law enforcement.
“I was scared of calling the police . . . [I] didn’t know if the police would act to defend us or to persecute us,” said Lourdes Perez, a survivor of domestic violence and member of Mujeres Unidas y Activas, an advocacy group for women immigrants. “We didn’t want to separate our family.”
Read the complete story at New America Media.