MD Woman Faces Deportation After Selling Phone Cards Without A License

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - A 26-year-old Maryland mother of three children is at the center of a deportation fight that is being used to highlight a new law enforcement tool critics claim is being misused to target illegal immigrants.

Here's the back story: Florinda Fabiola Lorenzo-DeSimilian was arrested at her home last Tuesday for allegedly selling $2 phone cards without a license - a misdemeanor. Her fingerprints were taken when she was booked into the Prince George's County Correctional Center. Those prints were sent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI forwarded them to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). There was a hit. Sources say ICE had placed a hold order on Lorenzo-DeSimilian in 2004 for overstaying her visa. She was released from jail last Friday pending a deportation hearing.

On Monday night, CASA of Maryland staged a protest outside the Prince George's County jail. About 60 members of the county's Latino community are calling attention to Lorenzo-DeSimilian’s case. They're blaming correctional officials for sending her fingerprints to the FBI.

Prince George's County is taking part in a new U.S. Homeland Security program called Secure Communities targeting violent criminals. Police officials say it has nothing to do with enforcing federal immigration laws, but acknowledge people charged with misdemeanor crimes will sometimes have their fingerprints sent to the FBI.