Hispanics and immigration advocates plan to swarm to Arlington Wednesday to protest a federal law requiring local police to check the immigration status of those they detain and to turn any criminals over to the Department of Homeland Security for deportation. The protestors intend to gather at a DHS hearing on the controversial program, known as Secure Communities, which has drawn similar demonstrations around the country because it has led to the deportation of many Hispanics who are not the violent felons the program is supposed to target.

While supporters say Secure Communities is essential to a working immigration policy, critics have attacked the program for scaring immigrant communities, saying people who have committed only minor traffic infractions are being deported along with convicted felons.