Illegals population swells Virginia jail
(Courtesy, PWC)Prince William County jails are presenting a test case for a state proposal to deny bail to illegal immigrants booked in Virginia's jails.
Dan Genz, The Examiner2007-11-05 08:00:00.0Current rank: # 481 of 12,048 WASHINGTON -
The overcrowded Prince William County Adult Detention Center is presenting a test case for a state proposal to deny bail to illegal immigrants booked in Virginia’s jails.
A new partnership with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement is prohibiting pre-trial release for inmates without legal U.S. residency.
Politicians have strongly supported the measure because it makes it more difficult for suspects to skip trials or commit new crimes. However, jail officials report it is driving the crammed jail population higher as inmates spend more time behind bars.
Gov. Tim Kaine has said he supports a statewide no-bail proposal because illegal residents are considered a higher flight risk, but warned about capacity and cost concerns.
Prince William County Adult Detention Center officials have screened the legal status of more than 700 inmates since the program began this summer, jail superintendent Col. Skip Land said.
Once an inmate has an ICE detainer, unless new evidence proves the inmate is a legal U.S. resident, “he can’t get out,” said Maj. Peter Meletis, director of inmate services.
As of Friday, there were 173 inmates being held on detainers, helping push the inmate population from 954 in September to 1028 on Friday. “As that population grows, everything grows with it,” Land said.
Immigrant advocates are concerned about how long the inmates will be held on detainers, where the inmates will be held and whether immigrants will be treated fairly, said John Steinbach of the Woodbridge Workers Committee.
Prince William County criminal justice officials are trying to expand opportunities to keep inmates out of jail, including an intensive-supervision, pre-trial program.
Eventually, the requirements of holding hundreds of illegal immigrants in jail should persuade state and federal officials to build a regional detention center solely for illegal immigrants, Prince William County Supervisor John Stirrup said. However, a state immigration task force rejected consideration of that plan this year.
While there will be costs associated with the program, Prince William County Chairman Corey Stewart said, “It’s the right thing to do.”
“You got an illegal alien who posts bond and says he’s going to come back? Why would he?” Stewart asked.
dgenz@dcexaminer.com
Examiner
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Prince William County Wants Immigration Lawsuit Dismissed
Prince William County has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit challenging a resolution targeting illegal immigrants.
The county's residents filed the lawsuit in early October.
The resolution aims to cut back public services to illegal immigrants as well as to encourage police to check immigration status.
The lawsuit claims the resolution violates the equal protection clause because it targets Hispanics. County officials argue that illegal immigrants should be able to seek solutions from their local government
The county's residents filed the lawsuit in early October.
The resolution aims to cut back public services to illegal immigrants as well as to encourage police to check immigration status.
The lawsuit claims the resolution violates the equal protection clause because it targets Hispanics. County officials argue that illegal immigrants should be able to seek solutions from their local government
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Prince William OKs illegals crackdown
Prince William OKs illegals crackdown
Article published Oct 18, 2007
By Seth McLaughlin
Prince William County passed one of the most aggressive crackdowns on illegal aliens in the country after an emotional 12-hour meeting that ended early yesterday morning. "We are dealing with a problem that has been undermining the quality of life in the county, period," said Corey A. Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. "There is nothing more to it." At about 2:30 a.m. yesterday, the eight-member board unanimously approved restrictions on county services and appropriated $325,000 to hire seven persons for a new Criminal Alien Unit. Some of the money will also be used to train police officers on when probable cause exists to check immigration status. Mr. Stewart said yesterday that he has ordered his staff to "immediately begin putting into place procedures to check people's immigration status and cut off services to illegal aliens." But officials warned that it could take several months to hire the unit, train the department's roughly 550 officers and determine who is ineligible for which taxpayer services. The board passed the measures over the warnings of immigrant advocacy groups, who said that the new plan would lead to racial profiling and encourage illegal aliens not to report crimes. Supervisor Martin E. Nohe, Coles Republican, said the measure targets only the "worst of the worst." "We will not be randomly asking people's immigration status," he said. "There are not going to be any sweeps or roadblocks." The board also banned county officials from granting business licenses to people who cannot prove their legal status and denied illegal aliens eight taxpayer-funded services. The services include access to some in-home elderly care programs, drug-rehabilitation programs and property-tax breaks. "Once you strip out the things we are already denying, strip out the things we cannot deny, and strip out the things that are impractical to deny, what you are left with are eight things," Mr. Nohe said. Mr. Stewart estimated that the package would cost $2.5 million a year and thinks that the county will recoup the money over time. "As illegal immigrants who commit crimes are removed from the community and we make it clear Prince William is not welcoming of illegal immigration that is going to be where you see the true cost savings," he said. Mr. Nohe supported the measures but said he was uncertain about the cost savings. He said that there was "no reason to believe" illegal aliens — because of the nature of their immigration status — used the services, but that the measure would ensure they were available to legal county residents. Nearly 400 people spoke at the meeting and more than 1,200 people showed up at the county government center. There were reports of scuffles in the street between supporters and opponents of the measures before police separated the two sides as the meeting began shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday. The debate was closely watched across Virginia and the country and pushed the county to the forefront of the national debate over illegal aliens. "We're getting inquiries from all over Virginia and all over the country," Mr. Stewart said. "There has been an outpouring of interest in what we are doing." Locally, Loudoun County in July joined Prince William in adopting resolutions in favor of local enforcement of immigration laws. Several other Virginia jurisdictions have passed or considered immigration-related resolutions, including Chesterfield, Culpeper, James City, Page, Spotsylvania and Stafford counties and the city of Manassas. Loudoun County Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio, Sterling Republican, applauded Prince William's approach, saying he hopes his county will follow suit. "I feel a little jealous that Prince William can actually accomplish more," he said. "I salute them for moving in that direction." A legal challenge against limiting public services to illegal aliens was filed on behalf of the Woodbridge Workers' Committee and 21 residents, including illegal aliens, in federal court this week by a group of lawyers and the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, a national organization that advocates for illegal aliens. County officials said they were confident that the measures would survive. "We were very careful to ensure this package would withstand any legal challenge," Mr. Stewart said. SERVICE CUTS The Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted unanimously to deny the following services to illegal aliens: •Financial assistance to allow elderly and disabled to remain in homes •In-home services to elderly residents •Thumbprint and photo-identification cards issued by the police department •Rental- and mortgage-assistance programs •Substance-abuse programs in local jails •Drug-prevention programs in neighborhoods identified as high-intensity drug-trafficking areas •Tax-relief programs for elderly and disabled residents •Tax breaks for renovating residential properties Source: Prince William Board of County Supervisors
Article published Oct 18, 2007
By Seth McLaughlin
Prince William County passed one of the most aggressive crackdowns on illegal aliens in the country after an emotional 12-hour meeting that ended early yesterday morning. "We are dealing with a problem that has been undermining the quality of life in the county, period," said Corey A. Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. "There is nothing more to it." At about 2:30 a.m. yesterday, the eight-member board unanimously approved restrictions on county services and appropriated $325,000 to hire seven persons for a new Criminal Alien Unit. Some of the money will also be used to train police officers on when probable cause exists to check immigration status. Mr. Stewart said yesterday that he has ordered his staff to "immediately begin putting into place procedures to check people's immigration status and cut off services to illegal aliens." But officials warned that it could take several months to hire the unit, train the department's roughly 550 officers and determine who is ineligible for which taxpayer services. The board passed the measures over the warnings of immigrant advocacy groups, who said that the new plan would lead to racial profiling and encourage illegal aliens not to report crimes. Supervisor Martin E. Nohe, Coles Republican, said the measure targets only the "worst of the worst." "We will not be randomly asking people's immigration status," he said. "There are not going to be any sweeps or roadblocks." The board also banned county officials from granting business licenses to people who cannot prove their legal status and denied illegal aliens eight taxpayer-funded services. The services include access to some in-home elderly care programs, drug-rehabilitation programs and property-tax breaks. "Once you strip out the things we are already denying, strip out the things we cannot deny, and strip out the things that are impractical to deny, what you are left with are eight things," Mr. Nohe said. Mr. Stewart estimated that the package would cost $2.5 million a year and thinks that the county will recoup the money over time. "As illegal immigrants who commit crimes are removed from the community and we make it clear Prince William is not welcoming of illegal immigration that is going to be where you see the true cost savings," he said. Mr. Nohe supported the measures but said he was uncertain about the cost savings. He said that there was "no reason to believe" illegal aliens — because of the nature of their immigration status — used the services, but that the measure would ensure they were available to legal county residents. Nearly 400 people spoke at the meeting and more than 1,200 people showed up at the county government center. There were reports of scuffles in the street between supporters and opponents of the measures before police separated the two sides as the meeting began shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday. The debate was closely watched across Virginia and the country and pushed the county to the forefront of the national debate over illegal aliens. "We're getting inquiries from all over Virginia and all over the country," Mr. Stewart said. "There has been an outpouring of interest in what we are doing." Locally, Loudoun County in July joined Prince William in adopting resolutions in favor of local enforcement of immigration laws. Several other Virginia jurisdictions have passed or considered immigration-related resolutions, including Chesterfield, Culpeper, James City, Page, Spotsylvania and Stafford counties and the city of Manassas. Loudoun County Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio, Sterling Republican, applauded Prince William's approach, saying he hopes his county will follow suit. "I feel a little jealous that Prince William can actually accomplish more," he said. "I salute them for moving in that direction." A legal challenge against limiting public services to illegal aliens was filed on behalf of the Woodbridge Workers' Committee and 21 residents, including illegal aliens, in federal court this week by a group of lawyers and the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, a national organization that advocates for illegal aliens. County officials said they were confident that the measures would survive. "We were very careful to ensure this package would withstand any legal challenge," Mr. Stewart said. SERVICE CUTS The Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted unanimously to deny the following services to illegal aliens: •Financial assistance to allow elderly and disabled to remain in homes •In-home services to elderly residents •Thumbprint and photo-identification cards issued by the police department •Rental- and mortgage-assistance programs •Substance-abuse programs in local jails •Drug-prevention programs in neighborhoods identified as high-intensity drug-trafficking areas •Tax-relief programs for elderly and disabled residents •Tax breaks for renovating residential properties Source: Prince William Board of County Supervisors
Illegals have time to fight - Lawsuit could hold up P.W.'s denial of services
Illegals have time to fight
Lawsuit could hold up Prince William's denial of services
Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 - 12:09 AM
By KIRAN KRISHNAMURTHY
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Measures targeting illegal immigrants in Prince William County might not be implemented right away if plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit challenging the actions seek a temporary court order, legal observers say.
After some 400 people spoke during a 12-hour public comment period that lasted until 2:30 a.m. yesterday, the county Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution that would deny some county services to illegal immigrants. The restricted services would include business licenses, drug counseling, housing assistance and some help for the elderly.
The supervisors also gave police startup funding to help them check the immigration status of anyone accused of breaking a law if an officer suspects the person is an illegal immigrant.
Legal analysts said other local governments across the state that have started down the same path as Prince William can also expect to be sued if they decide to take steps that restrict services to undocumented residents or require police to check an individual's legal status.
"Other localities in Virginia would be wise to see how the courts rule on the Prince William County resolution before becoming embroiled in their own costly and time-consuming legal battles," said Kent Willis, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union's chapter in Virginia.
Prince William Board Chairman Corey A. Stewart said yesterday that he hopes the measures can be put into practice by the end of the year.
Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor, said he would expect the plaintiffs suing Prince William to seek a temporary injunction in the federal lawsuit, leaving in place the status quo until a judge rules in the case.
The plaintiffs have not requested a preliminary injunction so far, but Tobias said they may have been waiting until county supervisors approved the resolution or to see how it is implemented.
"Some of that is a little abstract until someone is stopped by police or denied services," he said.
Cesar Perales, president of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, which filed the lawsuit last week, said yesterday that he did not want to reveal legal strategy by divulging whether the group would seek a temporary injunction. But he also noted that the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, where the lawsuit was filed, is known for quickly taking up cases.
Another group of Latino plaintiffs also filed a lawsuit in the same federal court Tuesday against Manassas and the city's School Board, alleging harassment during late 2005 when the Manassas City Council was considering zoning changes that some council members had said were meant to address illegal immigration.
The council quickly rescinded the housing ordinance after the ACLU threatened to sue, but the measure still is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice and the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Marcel Slag, managing attorney in the Legal Aid Justice Center's Richmond office, said yesterday that courts have ruled that immigration is a federal issue and that local efforts serve only to divide communities.
"It doesn't only hurt the illegal immigrants. It hurts the legal immigrants, it hurts the businesses, it hurts the community as a whole," he said. "It's awful for anywhere in the commonwealth to have these outrageous restrictions criminalizing people coming here to fill a big need economically."
Still, Greg Letiecq, president of Help Save Manassas, predicted that the threat of lawsuits will not diminish the passions of his group and others pushing to rid their communities of illegal immigrants.
"The illegal alien lobby is grasping at straws," he said.
Letiecq said he expects proposals in the coming General Assembly session that would require government contractors to verify the legal status of workers and that would limit the number of adults living in a single-family home based on the square footage of bedrooms.
Efforts in the state legislature to address illegal immigration have largely faltered so far.
"The fight, in a lot of ways, focuses in Richmond now," Letiecq said yesterday.
Already, about 20 localities from various regions of the state have expressed interest in forming a coalition to address illegal immigration in Virginia or have asked to be kept apprised of the group's progress.
The Culpeper County Board of Supervisors invited localities to form a coalition at the urging of Culpeper Town Councilman Steve Jenkins, who has pushed for more than a year to curb the presence of illegal immigrants in the community in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Interested localities from the Richmond area include the counties of Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, and King and Queen. Contact Kiran Krishnamurthy at (540) 371-4792 or kkrishnamurthy@timesdispatch.com
Lawsuit could hold up Prince William's denial of services
Thursday, Oct 18, 2007 - 12:09 AM
By KIRAN KRISHNAMURTHY
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Measures targeting illegal immigrants in Prince William County might not be implemented right away if plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit challenging the actions seek a temporary court order, legal observers say.
After some 400 people spoke during a 12-hour public comment period that lasted until 2:30 a.m. yesterday, the county Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution that would deny some county services to illegal immigrants. The restricted services would include business licenses, drug counseling, housing assistance and some help for the elderly.
The supervisors also gave police startup funding to help them check the immigration status of anyone accused of breaking a law if an officer suspects the person is an illegal immigrant.
Legal analysts said other local governments across the state that have started down the same path as Prince William can also expect to be sued if they decide to take steps that restrict services to undocumented residents or require police to check an individual's legal status.
"Other localities in Virginia would be wise to see how the courts rule on the Prince William County resolution before becoming embroiled in their own costly and time-consuming legal battles," said Kent Willis, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union's chapter in Virginia.
Prince William Board Chairman Corey A. Stewart said yesterday that he hopes the measures can be put into practice by the end of the year.
Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor, said he would expect the plaintiffs suing Prince William to seek a temporary injunction in the federal lawsuit, leaving in place the status quo until a judge rules in the case.
The plaintiffs have not requested a preliminary injunction so far, but Tobias said they may have been waiting until county supervisors approved the resolution or to see how it is implemented.
"Some of that is a little abstract until someone is stopped by police or denied services," he said.
Cesar Perales, president of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, which filed the lawsuit last week, said yesterday that he did not want to reveal legal strategy by divulging whether the group would seek a temporary injunction. But he also noted that the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, where the lawsuit was filed, is known for quickly taking up cases.
Another group of Latino plaintiffs also filed a lawsuit in the same federal court Tuesday against Manassas and the city's School Board, alleging harassment during late 2005 when the Manassas City Council was considering zoning changes that some council members had said were meant to address illegal immigration.
The council quickly rescinded the housing ordinance after the ACLU threatened to sue, but the measure still is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice and the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Marcel Slag, managing attorney in the Legal Aid Justice Center's Richmond office, said yesterday that courts have ruled that immigration is a federal issue and that local efforts serve only to divide communities.
"It doesn't only hurt the illegal immigrants. It hurts the legal immigrants, it hurts the businesses, it hurts the community as a whole," he said. "It's awful for anywhere in the commonwealth to have these outrageous restrictions criminalizing people coming here to fill a big need economically."
Still, Greg Letiecq, president of Help Save Manassas, predicted that the threat of lawsuits will not diminish the passions of his group and others pushing to rid their communities of illegal immigrants.
"The illegal alien lobby is grasping at straws," he said.
Letiecq said he expects proposals in the coming General Assembly session that would require government contractors to verify the legal status of workers and that would limit the number of adults living in a single-family home based on the square footage of bedrooms.
Efforts in the state legislature to address illegal immigration have largely faltered so far.
"The fight, in a lot of ways, focuses in Richmond now," Letiecq said yesterday.
Already, about 20 localities from various regions of the state have expressed interest in forming a coalition to address illegal immigration in Virginia or have asked to be kept apprised of the group's progress.
The Culpeper County Board of Supervisors invited localities to form a coalition at the urging of Culpeper Town Councilman Steve Jenkins, who has pushed for more than a year to curb the presence of illegal immigrants in the community in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Interested localities from the Richmond area include the counties of Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, and King and Queen. Contact Kiran Krishnamurthy at (540) 371-4792 or kkrishnamurthy@timesdispatch.com
Monday, October 15, 2007
NOTICE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION VOTE
The Prince WIlliam Board of County Supervisors will vote on implementing its policy to crackdown on illegal immigration and cut off taxpayer-funded services to illegal aliens on:
Teusday, October 16 at 2:00 p.m.
McCoart Building
1 County Complex Court
Prince William, VA 22192
(Located at Prince William Parkway and Asdee Lane)
Please plan to attend this very important meeting to ensure your voice is heard on this critial issue.
If you cannot attend the meeting, please be sure to call your district supervisor or email the Board at BOCS@pwcgov.org to give them your input on Prince William Counties illegal immigration policy. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact my office at 703-792-4640 or cstewart@pwcgov.org
Thank you
Corey A. Stewart, Chairman
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