Coalition heads down to Richmond

By Nate Delesline III

Published: October 17, 2008

Culpeper town and county officials will join a handful of other local governments in January to bring concerns about illegal immigrants to the General Assembly’s attention.

The local governments are a part of the Virginia Local Government Coalition on Illegal Aliens, a group formed late last year to find solutions to problems caused by illegal immigration.

Over the last few years, illegal immigration issues in Culpeper have swelled as the economy has declined, prompting passionate discussion on what to do about things like loitering along highways, excessive residential occupancy and suspected gang activity and crime.

Last month, federal officials joined local officers in an illegal alien sting, arresting five people in an early morning countywide sweep.

Thursday, about a dozen people — mostly government officials — attended the group’s afternoon meeting at the Daniel Technology Center at Germanna Community College to discuss what specific issues the coalition should bring to the attention of state legislators at the beginning of their session.

Establishing legislation to hold employers accountable for knowingly hiring illegal aliens is one of the top items on the list.

“If you take away their employment, they’re not going to stay here,â€