Thread: VA: Immigration consortium has its first meeting

Immigration consortium has its first meeting
October 26, 2007 12:36 am
BY DONNIE JOHNSTON

The Coalition on Illegal Immigration came to two conclusions at its initial meeting in Culpeper yesterday.

Representatives from a dozen jurisdictions agreed that there is a big problem that is getting only bigger, and that the federal government, which is charged with enforcing immigration laws, is doing little about the situation.

In what amounted to a three-hour therapy session, about the only thing the members of this group didn't agree on was, ironically, the name of the coalition.

"Illegal alien is the proper term," said Herndon Town Councilman Dave Kirby. "There's no such thing as an illegal immigrant according to the IRS because all immigrants are eventually issued a green card. An alien enters this country illegally and is deportable."

That point clarified, the 30 men and women set about releasing their frustrations concerning problems such as 30 Hispanic males living in a single house, their cars cluttering streets and yards and skyrocketing cost of providing government services for undocumented workers.

While the meeting was called (by the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors) in an attempt to take a legislative approach to the problem, most at the meeting agreed that, for the most part, there are ample laws already on the books to deal with the situation.

"[Immigration and Customs Enforcement] just doesn't have the manpower to deal with it," said Herndon Vice-Mayor Dennis Husch.

He said that prompted his town to have seven of its policemen trained by ICE to determine the legal status of those arrested for Class 2 felonies and driving under the influence, and fill out the necessary paperwork.

That, Husch said, almost forced ICE officials to step in and begin deportation procedures. He added, however, that an ICE certified jail--like Fairfax County operates--is necessary to bring immigration enforcement to a local level.

Spotsylvania County Administrator Randy Wheeler said that the Rappahannock Regional Jail was "moving in that direction."

Most agreed, however, that even illegal alien enforcement on a local level is not an end-all solution. The job demands manpower, costs taxpayer dollars and is often futile.

Culpeper County Administrator Frank Bossio told of a North Carolina sheriff who processed about 2,000 illegal aliens who were supposed to have their deportation cases heard in a federal court in Atlanta.

"About 95 percent didn't show up and 20 percent of those 2,000 illegal aliens eventually ended up right back in the same area," he said.

Several representatives questioned why employers couldn't be required to make certain of documentation before hiring immigrants.

Mary Ann Curtin of Chesterfield County, however, reminded those present that the state has no authority to ask employers to do this.

Carol Ferguson, representing Prince William County, said that employers were prohibited from hiring illegal aliens under the 1987 Amnesty Act. That law is simply not enforced, she added.

Rob Edwards, who attended simply as an interested party, said that the federal government was mostly at fault for allowing illegal aliens to get hired.

"Anybody--legal or otherwise--can get a federal identification number over the telephone in 15 minutes," he said. "Then the worker can get hired and the employer withholds taxes, which the government pockets without providing services."

Culpeper Supervisor Larry Aylor said employers are hesitant to check a worker's legal status for another reason.

"We've got a company here in Culpeper that has a second shift that is almost totally Hispanic," he said. "That shift turns out twice as much product. How do we address that?"

Aylor said he wasn't so much concerned with deporting illegal aliens as he was with getting them properly documented.

"We need to make the illegals legal," he said.

Aylor added, however, that he was disturbed by large contractors who manipulate laws to give illegal aliens jobs, and by the fact that police seldom prevent day-workers from gathering each morning.

"A group of teenagers gather in a shopping center and the police move them right out," he said. "Seventy-five workers gather across the street and nothing is done about it."

Husch said that while localities do have the ability--through zoning ordinances--to control gatherings on private property, they are almost powerless to prohibit workers from congregating in public places.

"Unless they are blocking the sidewalks, there is not much you can do," he said.

While representatives agreed that illegal aliens are creating burdens on such public services as health, transportation and education, no one present could put that drain into dollar figures from his own jurisdiction.

The fact that hospitals and schools are providing limited information concerning illegal aliens only added to their frustrations.

Representatives from as far way as Henry (on the North Carolina border) and Dinwiddie counties attended yesterday's meeting. Neither has the problem that Northern Virginia now faces but came as a "pre-emptive" measure.

Fort Lee, for example, in Dinwiddie, will soon be experiencing a major expansion that will be bringing an estimated 15,000 laborers into the county.

"If 85 percent of those workers are illegal, we're going to have a big problem," said Kevin Massengill, who added, "It is important for this coalition to be strong."

Wheeler suggested that all 25 jurisdictions who have joined the coalition appoint permanent representatives prior to the next meeting, which is expected to be held in either late November or early December.

Bossio told the representatives to prepare for a long battle.

"I don't think this is going to be a short-term endeavor," he said.

http://fredericksburg.com

Should pass law that in order to get or renew business license you would have to show proof that you participate in E-VERIFY (EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY verification program that is operated by homeland security in partnership with the social security administration) period.I do not see how anyone could aurgue against this and not look like they are in favor of illegal activity.

Crowded houses top coalition discussion
Officials from 11 localities discuss impact of illegal immigration
Liz Mitchell
Staff writer
Friday, October 26, 2007


It was a three-hour meeting attended by 24 people from 11 localities that want to address the growing problem of illegal aliens in Virginia.

Culpeper County Administrator Frank Bossio moderated the coalition’s first meeting that discussed the impact illegal aliens have on residence overcrowding, employment, schools, medical care, social services and transportation.

Herndon Town Councilman Dave Kirby pointed out that the coalition on illegal immigration, should be a coalition on illegal aliens because immigrants are legal aliens granted the right to reside in the United States; illegal aliens entered the country illegally and are eligible for deporatation if apprehended, according to the IRS.

Bossio then urged each county, city or town to discuss what problems they are experiencing, how they have addressed them and what areas would need legislative help.

For the first half hour, most locality representatives stayed quiet, except for the Town of Herndon, which has been one of the most vocal local governments in actively addressing the problem.

On overcrowding
Herndon Vice Mayor Dennis Husch said the town has been dealing with illegal immigrants for 10 years but has seen the impact increasing for the past four years.

“We saw that impact in ad hoc day-laborer sites,â€