http://www.banamnestynow.com/
Posted on 07/30/2010 12:23:28 PM PDT by La Lydia
Gov. Robert F. McDonnell avoided taking a strong stand on Virginia’s future in the illegal immigration debate, but there were rumblings yesterday that could propel the Commonwealth to the center of the issue. “I believe strongly we need to follow the rule of law,” the governor told WRVA radio in Richmond. “We need to do a much better job of securing the borders, but we need to permit lawful immigration in the United States consistent with the economic needs of our country … It’s too early to give any comment on what’s happening out there.”
Later in the morning, Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart proposed legislation that aims to crack down on illegal immigrants in Virginia.
“It’s going to be more legally sound [than the Arizona law],” Stewart said. “And in some respects, even tougher.”
Termed the "Rule of Law Act," Stewart's proposal is similar to the law in Arizona that's currently under fire. The initiative would give police officers the power to check the immigration status of anyone during "lawful contact" such as a traffic stop.
It also would allow police officers to arrest illegal immigrants without a warrant if the police suspect the person is an illegal immigrant. The measure would curb illegal day laboring, and allow state penalties for failing to complete alien registration documents. It would also stop illegal immigrants from registering an automobile in the state, and put a tax on money that is wired out of the country....
“It’s a very unusual thing for the United States of America to go in and tell a state we don’t like your law and we’re using the Supremacy Cause of the United States Constitution to invalidate your law, but yet that’s the rationale in this judge’s opinion,” McDonnell said...
Stewart’s proposal differs from the Arizona law in that individuals would not be penalized for not carrying their immigration documents. The proposal is not without opponents.
“It is irresponsible legislation,” said Nancy Lyall of Mexicans without Borders, an advocacy group for immigrants. “It makes no sense.”
“Arizona is going to be spending a fortune in the courts defending these laws,” and for Virginia to join Arizona makes no sense, she said.
But Stewart said the law has been tested in Prince William County. In 2007, the county told police officers to check people’s immigration status when they make an arrest or traffic stop. In 2008, a federal district court judge ruled that Prince William County’s policy was legal, although it was later modified so that officers only check the legality of someone after they are arrested.
“What we have in Prince William County is effective, and it is working,” said Prince William County Sheriff Glendell Hill.
The Prince William County Police Department declined to comment on the matter. The University of Virginia is currently studying the county and will release a report in the fall. So far, though, the police department has not reported a large change in the crime rate. They did report that six percent of people arrested on criminal charges were illegal aliens.
Critics say the laws would erode the relationship between the police and the community.
“The consequences of it would be very serious and damaging to law enforcement,” said Del. Bob Brink, D- Arlington. “You lose the trust and communication.”
After the policy was introduced in Prince William County, the Hispanic population’s satisfaction with police attitudes and behavior plummeted in polls commissioned by the county.
Stewart says he has wide support for his plan, calling the movement “viral.” His petition for the law has garnered several thousand signatures, he said.
Many question why the issue is so important for Virginia.
“Unless we’re concerned with illegal immigrants from North Carolina, there is no reason for it,” Brink said.
Similar bills have been considered in the statehouse before, but did not pass.
“Immigration issues have generated a large volume of legislation over the last several years, and I'm sure that we will continue to see legislation introduced to address additional concerns,” said Kathy Roberts, spokeswoman for Virginia House Speaker Bill Howell.
Estimates put the number of illegal immigrants in Virginia near 300,000.
BTW, that Nancy Lyall of Mexicans without Border acts as spokesman for this Socialist Workers of the World organization while on the payroll of the Prince William school district.
I wish the twenty or so other states would GO FORWARD with their plans all at once, let’s see who’s serious about securing the border...BEFORE NOV. 2ND!....the MSM would collapse.
And of course, this group also lobbies Mexico to erase its own borders, right?
:::crickets:::
According to the web page of the chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, the crime rate has fallen dramatically in the county:
In the past two years, violent crime reports have declined by 36.8% in Prince William County, Virginia. According to the Year-End Statistics report released today by Prince William County Police Department violent crime plunged 21.8% in 2008 compared to 2007 numbers. This follows a 19.3% between the 2007 and 2006 numbers. The crimes defined as “Part I Violent Crimes,” includes Murder, Rape, Aggravated Assault, and Robbery. The steep decline this year was driven by a 36.5% drop in aggravated assault and an 8.8% drop in robberies.
http://www.coreystewart.com/blog/violent-crime-rate-plunges-36-8-prince-william-county
“Estimates put the number of illegal immigrants in Virginia near 300,000”.
...the population for the entire state is about 7 million!
And I believe that 300,000 is a lowball number. I think it is more like a half-million, plus some. There are entire communities inside the Beltway that have been taken over, such as Riverdale, Maryland and Arlandria in northern Virginia, that now calls itself “Chirilagua,” instead, after the town in El Salvador from where they all originated. I would be surprised if 10 percent cent of them immigrated legally.
“Arlandria in northern Virginia”
...I spent my late teen years in N.Va. and had a lot of friends living in Arlandria. I haven’t even heard that name in 10 years. I’ll bet it’s a mess now.
That's the only part of the law, if accurate, that would give me pause--the rest of it, including the tax on remittances, is great. Then again, I guess police can detain on suspicion now for lots of things, so why not illegal entry.
}:-)4
I wish all these states that are “eyeing” illegal immigration law would go ahead and do it or STHU. They are straddling the fence. They are too chicken to go ahead and do it for fear of being demonized by the left, but yet want to look good to their constituents. Its a shame a girl has the guts to face down the schoolyard bully but they don’t. They think it looks good to draw up a resolution in support of Governor Brewer, yet they are too cowardly to join her. I am sick of the whole lot of them.
Large parts of it look like a Third World country now.
Here in a small town in Middle Tennessee, we have a lot of Mexicans. They congregated in a trailer park the locals called Taco Hill. It got so bad, the government had to move everybody out and remove the trailers to the dump. The trailers were so bad, they were literally falling apart, yet there would be 15 Mexicans living in them. Now they have scattered out into various apartment buildings and they are crime laden hellholes. Sad what is becoming of America.
Let me guess. They got Section 8 vouchers so they could move into the apartments, right?
Ping!
Please help Texas watch her borders.
14 live cameras. Watch live and report to border patrol. Night cams in operation.
http://www.blueservo.net/
Oh yes, I’m sure. They also get special no money down loans to buy houses and turn them into ghettos.
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