Manassas To Adopt Section 287(g) Program Monday
By Greg L | 23 February 2008 | Illegal Aliens, Manassas Politics | 11 Comments

This Monday Chief Skinner will present the draft Memorandum of Understanding with Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the Section 287(g) Program to the Manassas City Council for ratification, and finally begin the implementation of an effort initiated by then-Councilman Jackson Miller in 2006. This agreement is very similar to what the Town of Herndon adopted, and is an important component of the overall effort to ensure that Prince William County, the City of Manassas, the Prince William County Adult Detention Center and the Prince William County Juvenile Detention Center all establish compatible agreements under the Section 287(g) Program. It will be a tremendous benefit to ensure consistent policies among the different area jurisdictions, especially given the degree of resources they share, and will reduce the level of effort needed to implement these policies within the jurisdictions that are participating in this program.

One of the key benefits of this program will be to close a potential loophole for criminal illegal aliens who might avoid screening at the Detention Centers. There are instances when a violation of crime or local ordinance does not automatically mean that a suspect is detained, and under current policy if someone doesn’t pass through the intake center at the Adult or Juvenile Detention Center, they escape any screening for legal status. Current Virginia law, despite the efforts of Delegate Jackson Miller in the General Assembly, requires that if someone is cited for a misdemeanor such as being a “Peeping Tomâ€