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Culpeper boils over
Town councilman's meeting on illegal immigration splits residents and stirs emotions
BY KIRAN KRISHNAMURTHY
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Sunday, September 3, 2006


CULPEPER -- Angry words and an obscene gesture marked a packed meeting on illegal immigration yesterday in Culpeper, where a town councilman wants to crack down on undocumented residents.

Several blocks away, about 100 people sympathetic to undocumented workers marched, holding American and Mexican flags and chanting, "We are not criminals!"

The day's emotions were fueled by Councilman Steve Jenkins' crusade to hold accountable landlords and employers who house and hire undocumented workers. Jenkins, who says he might push to officially designate English as the town's primary language, has cited Hazelton, Pa., as an example of a city that is taking a tough stance.

Jenkins asked the overflow audience of more than 200 people to be courteous as his meeting at the library started. The civility lasted about 15 minutes.

Cristina M. Rebeil, an attorney for the Richmond-based Legal Aid Justice Center, was booed after saying the Declaration of Independence's ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness apply to all people.

"There is no difference between a person who came undocumented and myself," she said.

"Yes, there is!" someone in the audience yelled. "Shut up!" yelled another.

With that, Jenkins threatened to call upon plain-clothed police officers who had come to listen.

Supporters of reining in illegal immigration claimed undocumented workers had brought more crime, lowered property values, and had increased the burden on schools and social services in Culpeper, a town of 15,000.

"I'm really tired of hearing we are a nation of immigrants," said John Gentile, 77, of Culpeper, adding he supports legal immigration. "We are being drained."

Diego Decastro, 54, said he is trying to help his 80-year-old mother emigrate from Spain, but that he won't hire a smuggler to ferry her across the border from Mexico. "We are doing it the right way," the Culpeper resident said.

Those supportive of illegal immigrants countered that the workers pay taxes and are no more responsible for crime or lower property values than other segments of the community.

"Sometimes it makes you ashamed to be white," Carmen Jewell, 57, of Culpeper told the audience as she heard criticism of illegal immigrants. "They're human beings just like we are."

Some critics also said Jenkins' efforts and the enthusiastic response of most of the audience smacked of racism.

Maribel Ramos of Richmond, a member of the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations, said she took offense when a woman in the audience told Ramos to go back to her own country. "This is my country now," said Ramos, who was born in Peru and said her father legally immigrated to the United States.

Jenkins, a former town policeman who took his council seat July 1, said he is not targeting any race.

Near the end of the two-hour meeting, a woman sympathetic to illegal immigrants made an obscene gesture toward a young woman who had repeatedly yelled "Shut up!" at her.

Jenkins said the next step is for the Town Council and the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors to consider approving and sending a letter to Rep. Eric I. Cantor, R-7th, asking for federal intervention and assistance. He also mentioned possibly forming a local task force to examine the impact of undocumented residents on schools, social services and other areas.

At the downtown rally, Maribel Ordaz, a mother of four who has lived in Culpeper seven years, said she came to the U.S. illegally but now is documented.

"We are just here to support our race," Ordaz said. "It is not fair. We are all equal."

Marchers announced they were sending the council a letter urging rejection of measures such as those enacted in Hazelton, a town of 31,000. Like critics of the Pennsylvania town's ordinances, the demonstrators said immigration is a federal issue, not a local one.

"An ordinance such as this will have a chilling effect on the entire community by creating a climate of fear and suspicion that will put neighbor against neighbor and tear the community apart," the letter said.


Contact staff writer Kiran Krishnamurthy at kkrishnamurthy@timesdispatch.com or (540) 371-4792.