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Colorado Immigrant Rights Groups Oppose Crackdown

DENVER (AP) - Colorado immigrant rights groups are demanding changes to a report that recommends softening the Department of Homeland Security's controversial effort to identify illegal immigrants.

The Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition is holding a rally on Monday at the Denver Immigration courthouse to demand that government officials suspend enforcement until changes are made.

They say the report falls far short of addressing flaws that prevent the program from being a law enforcement tool that respects community policing, civil rights, and does not operate outside its mandate.

The federal task force is recommending that federal officials only use the program to identify serious criminals and not people accused only of minor traffic offenses, and that crime and domestic victims and witnesses not be subject to enforcement actions.

RELATED LINK: Secure Communities Task Force Report

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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