washingtontimes.com

Herndon's defiance on illegals
Published August 20, 2005

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Tax dollars to help illegal aliens find jobs: That's what Herndon's "day-laborer" center amounts to. The center could be open as early as mid-September after Wednesday's 5-2 yes vote by Herndon's town council. Government money is already implicated: The center will be housed on town property and Fairfax County is considering spending $175,000 on it. So, county taxpayers' dollars may soon be used to help scofflaws hire illegals who flout immigration law. Clearly, the Washington lawmakers who warned Herndon last month not to do this will need to intervene. The last thing the United States' broken immigration system needs are towns and communities offering additional incentives to illegals.

"Essentially no governmental body has the right to use taxpayer funds for illegal purposes," Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, told The Washington Times. In response to Herndon's decision to facilitate the illegal hiring of illegal aliens, Judicial Watch plans to sue the town on behalf of aggrieved citizens -- just one of the many potential complications Herndon faces as a consequence of its move.

Beginning in January, a new law taking effect in Virginia declares that "no person who is not a United States Citizen or legally present in the United States shall receive state or local public assistance." Since this would seem to prohibit a day-laborer center like the one Herndon is proposing, the town asked the state attorney general whether the center would be permissible. It asked the question only a few weeks ago, however, so the attorney general has yet to respond. Herndon went ahead with the project anyway.

Rep. Tom Tancredo, Colorado Republican and the House of Representatives' chief stalwart on immigration, already warned Herndon not to proceed, observing that any day-labor center "which serves primarily illegal (or so-called 'undocumented') aliens is in violation of federal law prohibiting 'aiding and abetting' of such illegal aliens."

State and federal authorities should take action to ensure that Herndon's day-laborer center doesn't open.