Thread: VA: Culpeper Residents Discuss Illegal Immigration

Culpeper Residents Discuss Illegal Immigration

POSTED: 12:19 am EDT July 14, 2007

CULPEPER, Va. -- Several places in northern Virginia are becoming battlegrounds in the immigration debate.

Since Prince William County passed some of the toughest rules in the nation, people in Culpeper said they are worried they will be hit with an influx of immigrants.

Officials in Culpeper, like those in Prince William County, said Friday night that illegal immigrants living in the area are costing them millions of dollars. They said Culpeper is ready to make a resolution that will make a bold statement.

Culpeper is a small town 70 miles outside of D.C. It is unknown how big the Latino population is in the area, but many people in Culpeper said they believe when some immigrants arrived there, they broke the law.

"No one welcomes illegal aliens here in our community," Steve Jenkins of the Culpeper City Council said. "They want to take proactive approaches. So, I think the theory is that anything we can do to deter individuals that have been in our community and live in this country illegally, we want to do so."

Jenkins said he hopes his city follows in the footsteps of Prince William County.

This week, after a controversial vote, police officers were required to ask anyone they pull over about their immigration status.

Protests followed that decision.

"Illegal immigrants come here with a dream and a passion to work and that's all they want to do," immigration advocate Juan Garcia said. "They want that opportunity."

County officials in Culpeper said illegal immigrants cost the county millions by using public facilities like pools, hospitals and libraries.

"We aren't trying to run anybody out, we're just trying to get a handle on it and keep it under control," one Culpeper resident said.

Officials said anti-immigration resolutions could be introduced in the city and county of Culpeper as early as next month.

http://www.nbc4.com/news/13681757/detail.html

Officials said anti-immigration resolutions could be introduced in the city and county of Culpeper as early as next month.

I believe the author means ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION resolutions....