“We want to maintain our sovereignty. We want to stop the flow of illegal aliens. We want to stop the importation of terrorists, illegal drugs, gang members,” Taplin said. “We want to enforce all of the laws equally across the board.” ...

...“I will not in any way, shape or form turn my head and tolerate individuals that are here illegally in this community,” Jenkins said. “I won’t do it.”

Rhonda Simmons
Staff Writer
Friday, December 8, 2006

Illegal immigration stirred up more discussion Thursday night in Culpeper.

About 40 people gathered for the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps’ first meeting at the VFW Post 2524 on Sperryville Pike.

“We are not here to talk about immigration,” said George Taplin, the chapter’s Virginia director. “We are here to talk about ways to alleviate the symptoms and problems that occur as the results of the immigration policies.”

Using a PowerPoint presentation, Taplin explained the reasons residents should attend local meetings and force local elected officials to take action against illegal immigration.

Taplin, a data analyst from Herndon, also spoke on the responsibilities of zoning laws and fielded questions from the audience.

“If you can’t enforce zoning laws to prevent the abuse of the culture in this town,” Taplin said, “then get a new set of legislators.”

Taplin proceeded to read from the Town Council Web site.

“The Town Council, as the governing body for the town of Culpeper, sets policies and establishes ordinances for the general safety, health and welfare of its citizens,” Taplin read.

“Not the illegal aliens,” Taplin argued, “but the citizens. Why are they bending over backward allowing this to go on?”

Instead of talking about immigration, Taplin said, he wanted to discuss what happens in small communities as a result of poor immigration policies resulting from non-enforcement of immigration laws.

“We want to maintain our sovereignty. We want to stop the flow of illegal aliens. We want to stop the importation of terrorists, illegal drugs, gang members,” Taplin said. “We want to enforce all of the laws equally across the board.”

Two Culpeper County supervisors, Steve Nixon of West Fairfax and Larry Aylor of Cedar Mountain attended the meeting. Town Councilman Steve Jenkins was there too.

“I will not in any way, shape or form turn my head and tolerate individuals that are here illegally in this community,” Jenkins said. “I won’t do it.”

Legislation process
Sandra Gunn, a representative from the Federation for American Immigration Reform, says her organization is working on a package of legislation, which is planned for a January presentation.

FAIR - a national, nonprofit, public-interest group - seeks ways to improve border security and stop illegal immigration.
Gunn said there are a few concepts behind the immigration-based legislation.

One potential bill deals with legal housing.
“It would make it unlawful to live in Virginia if you are not a legal resident,” Gunn said. “If you can’t prove that you are a Virginia resident, it will be harder to get a bank loan, it’s going to be harder to rent housing and harder to get in-state tuition. It really gets at a lot of the abuses that we find with illegals in this country and in this state.”

The second would require employers to provide workers’ compensation for all employees regardless of legal status, said Gunn. Those who are here illegally and apply for workers compensation or disability would be required to return to their own country in order to receive that disability.

“It provides an incentive for people to return home,” she said. “Those employers who are hiring illegal aliens without worker’s compensation will have an added penalty,” said Gunn. “It protects workers from frivolous employers and protects the workers compensation system.”

The third involves reporting illegal immigrants. This legislation would require schools to request prove of lawful status for students as they enroll and report that information to the State Board of Education.

The system would not deny education to any student; however, it collects and provides information to the state to conduct research.

Gunn said the three bills would be introduced Jan. 11 to state legislators in Richmond.

Taplin suggested that residents attend every town and county meeting, vote, make sure crime statistics are reported and make known any illegal action they witness.

“Telling on your neighbors - very unpopular,” he said. “If I suspect my neighbor is doing something illegal, it is very obvious to me that my neighbor has no respect for me. Why should I feel bad about reporting them?”

During the meeting, Habacuc Diaz Lopez, pastor of Primera Iglesia Baptista Maranatha part of Culpeper Baptist Church, took several notes.

Lopez questioned Taplin, who said that 92 percent of illegals are Mexican.

“How can that be? Lopez asked. “Not more than 40 percent are Mexicans. They are Puerto Ricans. They come from several countries: Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica.”

After the meeting, Lopez said people need to educate themselves.
“It’s very misleading,” Lopez said about Taplin’s statistics.

Rhonda Simmons can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 125 or rsimmons@starexponent.com

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