County Board Approves Pick-Up Site for Day Laborers (Freep Alert)

http://www.co.arlington.va.us/NewsReleases/Scripts/ViewList.asp ^ | 8/2/03 | Arlington County, Virginia

[chambley1]

For Immediate Release

Friday, August 1, 2003

Contact:Diana Sun (703) 228-3247 (voice), (703) 228-4611 (TTY)

County Board Approves Pick-Up Site for Day Laborers

Project Will Address Safety, Traffic Concerns At its July 29 recessed meeting, the Arlington County Board voted 4-1 to appropriate up to $140,000 to create a pick-up site for day laborers in the Shirlington area. The funds will be used to purchase and install a covered shelter and related equipment and landscaping for the pick-up site.

"The Board acted in response to numerous concerns from the community," said Arlington County Board Chairman Paul Ferguson. "This pick-up site will provide an orderly gathering place where people seeking employment can match up with potential employers."

After examining three possible locations for the pick-up site, the Board approved a county parking lot at the Jennie Dean Park at the corner of Shirlington Road and 27th Street South. The site will be in operation from 6 a.m. until noon, Mondays through Saturdays and will be managed by the Shirlington Employment and Education Center (SEEC), which will receive $30,000 of the funding for staffing.

The site will include a prefabricated, covered shelter to protect the day laborers from the weather; a portable toilet with wash basin; a drinking fountain; several litter receptacles; a bulletin board in the shelter to provide information to day laborers with details about recreational and educational opportunities in the community as well as rules of behavior; and a booth for SEEC staff for supplies and communication equipment. The new site is scheduled to open in early October.

Background:

Since the late 1980s, Arlington County, like many urban communities, has had a sizeable day laborer population. The primary gathering spot for the day laborers has been along South Four Mile Run Drive at the Washington and Old Dominion Trailhead, parkland owned and maintained by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.

In response to the growing number of community concerns, a multi-disciplinary team has been working with members of the community, SEEC, and others to identify a site where day laborers and potential employers could gather in an orderly manner. Having the new pick-up site on County owned property enables County regulations to be enforced, which is not possible at the current informal location.

In addition, the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority has notified Arlington that it intends to renovate and restore the trailhead, effectively removing the current informal gathering area.

Arlington, Virginia is a world-class residential, business, and tourist location that was originally part of the ten-mile square parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation's Capital. Arlington is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, occupying slightly less than 26 square miles. Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods, quality schools and enlightened land use, and was granted an award for its practices of "Smart Growth" by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2002. Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world — including the Pentagon — Arlington stands out as one of America's preeminent places for living, visiting and doing business.

The Official Date and Time of this Release is: 8/1/2003 7:37:48 AM

E-mail: publicaffairs@co.arlington.va.us

[Lazamataz]

I'm not seeing why the erection of a shelter for waiting day laborers is a particularly good opportunity for a Freep.

[chambley1]

Email freep!

[Lazamataz]

Email freep!

What's the point? What's so wrong about a shelter for day laborers?

[DC native]

Because many of these folks are likely illegals. No, I do not have proof. But they stand around, ripe for the picking, and the government does nothing about it. There's a 7-11 in Herndon where they stand around urinating on the sidewalk and making lewd comments to passing females. The police are busy at the tollbooth on the nearby toll road, yanking legal citizens out of their cars for not wearing a seatbelt. I am not making this up...would that I were!

[angkor]

If I'm not mistaken there's already a Mexican take-out joint there already to service the "day labor community." Burritos, tamales, aguas frescas, and the rest.

It's wierd, you're driving through an semi-industrialized area, and all of the sudden many dozens of Latino guys shuffling around, and this completely standalone little Mexican food shack obviously to service their appetites.

[Lazamataz]

Because many of these folks are likely illegals. No, I do not have proof. But they stand around, ripe for the picking, and the government does nothing about it.

Then a shelter might be a good pickup point for INS, right? Win/Win.

[Lazamataz]

There are a lot of Mexicans right down the street from where I live, but I gotta admit, they are pretty decent citizens. Polite enough, no drug dealing that I can tell, they seem to be relatively non-criminal and productive, assimilating citizens of the US. Of course, there is the occasional one that doesn't speak a lick of English, so I have to use my crappy, spotty Español.

[DC native]

It would be perfect. But they already have several informal pickup points, such as the ones in Arlington and Herndon, that are well-known to the police. The locals are screaming for relief from the police and the INS, but they turn a blind eye. This has been going on for years. The workers cry racism, and the legal citizens back off. Thanks again, American suckers!

[Lazamataz]

It would be perfect. But they already have several informal pickup points, such as the ones in Arlington and Herndon, that are well-known to the police. The locals are screaming for relief from the police and the INS, but they turn a blind eye. This has been going on for years. The workers cry racism, and the legal citizens back off. Thanks again, American suckers!

Can I interest you in a drive-by machinegunning? My rates are cheap.

[TheOtherOne]

Do we hate them because they are lazy or becuase they are begging for work --- I always forget which thread im on.

Seriously, I am against illegal immigration. I despise all of the mexican/hispanic bashing that goes on in the name of immigration. It should not matter what the alleged illegal is doing or their ethnicity, so ling as they are illegal --- but so many threads here focus on race etc, it seem that that is the concern not immigration status. The water is muddy.

Personally, I would have more respect if I ever saw one of the many whites 'bums' here in Santa Monica begging for work. They are content in my alley, but the hispanics asking for work are my problem?

[angkor]

There's a 7-11 in Bailey's Crossroads with exactly the same issue. Dozens of unemployed day laborers, and I have no doubt that they are illegal aliens.

In fact several of the 9/11 hijackers made their phoney Virginia ID connection at this very parking lot (and used a fake address 50 yards away). So obviously there is a serious market for document fraud in this innocent "day labor community."

I'm surprised about the PD grabbing folks for seatbelt violations in Herndon (presumably you mean at the Toll Road exits). Unlike Maryland, Virginia's seatbelt law requires a primary, causal offense in order to be cited (e.g., you can't just be pulled over for the seatbelt, you must have another primary violation). I think for children (kiddies) it's still a primary offense.

Warner tried to change the law from secondary to primary this year, but it was defeated in the House and Senate.

Institute a Primary Seat Belt Law

[DC native]

I just want the government to apply our immigration laws equally to all people and terminate the unwritten policy of Special Favors For Special People.

[swany]

There was a thread a couple of days ago about a PBS Station or Headquarters raising a fuss about this because the pick up station is going to be right next door to their building. They are worried about their image and clientel having to walk past it. Go Figure.

[csvset]

It's wierd, you're driving through an semi-industrialized area, and all of the sudden many dozens of Latino guys shuffling around, and this completely standalone little Mexican food shack obviously to service their appetites.

Lottery-winning immigrant runs afoul of the rules

{snip}According to the indictment, the pipeline ran from the Mexican border in Arizona to destinations in Kentucky, New Jersey, Georgia, Florida and Virginia. Some illegal immigrants paid $1,000 to be smuggled in, the papers say. Others had to work off the fee at the Franklin restaurant, the papers claim. {/snip}

[Lazamataz]

I just want the government to apply our immigration laws equally to all people and terminate the unwritten policy of Special Favors For Special People.

The time for that was 20 years ago, before Hispanics became a significant voting block. Now both sides cannot pander quickly enough.

[angkor]

Nah, this is a little shack of a place with carryout windows only. It doesn't look like more than a couple workers could fit inside.

It's a little vague, I only saw it once, but I do recall it was shocking because obviously the place had one purpose only, which was to service the day laborers milling around the area.

I wonder how it fits into Arlington County's plans.

[DC native]

It is the state police at the tollbooths. I see them approximately once a month. I have no idea how they are lagally justifying it, but it is most definitely occurring. I chatted for a minute with one of the tollbooth operators about it and she verified that they were checking for seatbelt violations.

[swany]

Here is the link:

CEO of DC's PBS Station Mad About Day Laborers next to Studio

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/956539/posts

[swany]

Oops! Meant to post that as a follow up to my #14.