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7 <br />IV. Adopt a policy of citation instead of arrest for minor traffic violations and <br />other minor offenses <br />Statistics both for North Carolina and nationally have shown that a high <br />percentage of immigrants that have ended up in deportation proceedings <br />through programs like 287(g) and Secure Communities were arrested for <br />violations such as driving without a license and other- minor misdemeanors. <br />Currently in North Carolina, people who lack proper immigration status cannot <br />get driver's licenses which would mean in "Secure Communities" counties, they <br />risk deportation while driving a vehicle to engage in activities such as grocery <br />shopping, going to church, or taking their children to doctor's appointments, etc. <br />We recommend that the BOCC ask local law enforcement to adopt a policy <br />similar to that currently in place in the City of Durham as well as in other local <br />jurisdictions. Durham Police Chief Lopez has stated publically, for example, that <br />in cases where someone is stopped for a traffic violation and cannot produce a <br />valid driver's license, if they can prove who they are with other types of ID. they <br />will be issued a citation rather than being detained. This policy, while holding <br />people responsible for driving illegally, does not subject them to the risk of <br />deportation for doing so, since they would not be fingerprinted. While we are <br />aware that ICE says they will prioritize the deportation of dangerous felons, <br />there is nothing in current guidelines to prevent them from deporting individuals <br />who arrested for minor offenses such as driving without a license. <br />Pros: <br />a. A non - arrest policy for minor violations would allow for appropriate <br />punishment for minor violations while preventing undocumented individuals <br />from being deported for minor offenses. <br />b. This policy would also help build trust and confidence with local law <br />enforcement in immigrant communities. <br />Cons: <br />a. Law enforcement could see this as interference in their work. <br />b. This could be seen as promoting and/or at least condoning illegal activity <br />c. May be outside the authority of the BOCc (but may not if carefully worded) <br />