DSS chief raps immigration agency over detainees (cooperation lacking)

DSS chief raps immigration agency over detainees
Says cooperation has been lacking

By Yvonne Abraham, Globe Staff | March 13, 2007

The commissioner of the Department of Social Services blasted Immigration
and Customs Enforcement officials yesterday for repeatedly thwarting state
social workers' attempts to communicate with suspected illegal workers
arrested after a raid on a New Bedford leather goods factory last week,
and he accused the federal agency of "turning around and misrepresenting
reality."

Since the arrests, ICE officials have maintained that they have been
working closely with DSS to provide for children whose parents were
arrested. Last night, the agency announced that it is releasing nine
detainees "after evaluating their personal circumstances and deciding
that humanitarian release was warranted." The nine still face
deportation and must appear before an immigration judge.

"We're happy the nine were released; we're just anxious to see whether
the others will be released and when," said Denise Monteiro, spokeswoman
for DSS.

-snip-

Despite their insistence to the contrary, DSS Commissioner Harry Spence
says that ICE has not cooperated. "They stopped us every step of the way,"
an incensed Spence said yesterday. "ICE's rhetoric has been completely
different from the truth."

-snip-