San Francisco local supervisors have opposed the US federal government’s program, Secure Communities of late. For the uninitiated, the program is instrumental in sending automatically the digital fingerprints of suspects lodged at county jail to the U.S. immigration department in order to get it reviewed. The program also dictates that people who will be found illegal in the nation may face deportation as well.

Reportedly, Secure Communities program is functional in over twenty US states, as well as Bay area counties as of now. It was made operating in San Francisco Tuesday this week. The city’s prominent figure, Sheriff Michael Hennessey has opposed the federal government’s plans to implement the program in San Francisco. According to him, the city should consider having its earlier policy, which dictates that the city is required to inform the nation’s immigration department only at the time, when the former fails to verify immediately the immigration status of the suspected criminals. But, the new program is likely to take away the discretion of the city’s law enforcement entities.

With the implementation of Secure Communities in San Francisco, every doubtful person, including those who have been alleged with charges of crimes, violation of law, or other serious wrongdoings would be entitled to undergo immigration background check.

The city’s supervisors, along with the aid from various civil rights entities, have performed a poll and reached the decision against the resolution, thereby asking San Francisco Police, sheriff and the Department for Juvenile Probation not to participate in Secure Communities program. However, it is yet to know whether local authorities in the city have the rights to disapprove or quit such a decision of the federal government.