Advocacy Group: Illegal Immigrants Living In Fear In Loudoun Co.

County Board Chair: No New Laws Targeting Illegal Immigrants Enacted

POSTED: 7:10 pm EDT July 19, 2007
UPDATED: 7:51 pm EDT July 19, 2007

WASHINGTON -- A Hispanic advocacy group said some illegal immigrants in Loudoun County, Va., are living in fear because of a resolution passed earlier this week.

The head of the county board of supervisors said he needed to get the word out Thursday that there are no new laws targeting illegal immigrants.

"We didn't enact policy," Scott York said.

York said he wants to set the record straight. The resolution that passed unanimously on Tuesday makes the statement that illegal immigrants are causing the county economic hardship and lawlessness. It also directs the county administrator and staff to look at what county services could be denied to people in the country illegally.

"Those folks that are struggling aren't seeing those tax dollars that we year after year ask for are not going to those breaking the law," York said

Laura Valle heads The Voice of Loudoun, a Hispanic advocacy group. Some people called Valle worried about whether it was safe for them to register their children for school. She said many immigrants in the county had the same reaction as those in Prince William County, where legislators took a similar step last week.

"That's all because they didn't have information," Valle said. "They didn't really know what's happening. The real positive side is that now we know nothing has been passed that will have an immediate impact."

The Loudoun County resolution also calls for the Sheriff's Department to continue working to get immigration enforcement powers.

The resolution's main sponsor on the board, Eugene Delgaudio, said it's most likely just a matter of time before new laws targeting illegal immigrants are introduced.

"If you don't need this and you're not entitled to this go somewhere else where they love to give away the taxpayers' money without limit," he said.

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