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Immigration Issue Hits Home
Posted 8/17/2006 06:11 PM

Elkins is getting a first hand lesson in dealing with illegal immigrants.
Story by J. Turchetta Email | Bio

Randolph County got a first hand lesson in illegal immigration last week, when the police arrested Louis Andrade an illegal immigrant, wanted for murder in Houston, Texas.

Now the federal government is showing an interest. Congresswoman Shelly Moore Capito was in Elkins Thursday, to talk about the problem.

The purpose of the meeting was to get an idea of how big the problem is here. As for a solution, it boils down to strengthening our borders and holding the businesses who hire illegal immigrants accountable.

Representative Capito says one option is to put together a national data base of all non-citizens in the country. A data base that would help authenticate the documents these immigrants have.

Capito says the business community across the nation and here in North Central West Virginia must play by the rules and not hire illegal immigrants.

Randolph County Sheriff Jack Roy was also at the meeting, he says there needs to be more cooperation between federal and local law enforcement agencies.

Sheriff Roy says the problem of illegal immigrants is not out of control in Randolph County but does see the trend continuing to rise.

Representative Capito's opponent in the upcoming election Mike Callaghan says the United States needs to increase security on its boarders but also needs to hold the businesses accountable.

And one thing everyone agreed on, the issue of immigration now truly is a local one.

Some of the other options discussed at the meeting, included spanish lessons for new police officers. Capito says separate bills in the House and Senate tackle this issue, but both bills differ greatly.

She says this issue may be too hot for the upcoming election.

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