Rule Of Law Resolution Under Assault By Frank Principi
By Greg L | 24 April 2008 | Illegal Aliens, Prince William County | 3 Comments

Woodbridge District Supervisor Frank Principi is calling for a gutting of the Rule of Law Resolution, according to today’s Washington Post, arguing that police officers shouldn’t be asking suspected illegal aliens about their immigration status. What Principi seems to be arguing for is a return to the policies established in 2005 by Chief Deane which prevented police officers from asking about the immigration status of non-felony offenders. Should this obtain support from other members of the board, which at this point seems unlikely, it would be a huge victory for Mexicans Without Borders.

In 2005 police arrested about thirty loitering day laborers at a 7-11 on Route One in Woodbridge, and about half of these were turned over to the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation. Mexicans Without Borders and their subsidiary the Woodbridge Workers Committee went absolutely nuts. Following a series of generally unreported meetings between Chief Deane and these open borders advocates, Deane established General Order 26.05 which took away any discretion from police officers to inquire about immigration status unless the suspect was being investigated for a felony violation. Deane refused to provide any information about this policy, and denied a FOIA request to provide a copy of the General Order filed by Help Save Manassas last summer. Under threat of a lawsuit by Judicial Watch, Deane finally gave in and released the policy.

The public outrage that resulted forced Deane to rescind that policy when the debate over the Rule of Law Resolution began, and the Rule of Law Resolution directed Deane to establish a new policy which is now known as General Order 45.01. One of the important things that this General Order does is bring Prince William County into compliance with the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 USC § 1373) which makes it unlawful for a locality to restrict the ability of state or local officials to prevent the communication of information about an illegal alien with the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. What Principi seems to be calling for here is putting that unlawful restriction back into place.

Having police officers inquire about the legal status of suspected illegal aliens has been a critical part of what has encouraged them to leave Prince William County. Knowing that an interaction with a police officer about loitering, a moving violation, or some other common violation of a local law or ordinance can potentially result in deportation is perhaps the biggest motivator for illegal aliens to either return home or seek out one of the many jurisdictions that ignore the legal status of a suspected offender. Although this component of the Rule of Law Resolution likely results in the fewest actual deportations, it is seen as the biggest threat by those who have continued to willfully violate our federal immigration laws. Should this component of the policy be reversed, it would be seen as a dramatic improvement for illegal aliens who unlawfully reside in Prince William County and seek to evade the consequences of their unlawful actions.

It would also impact public safety in a significant way. The illegal alien who killed Tessa Tranchant (age 16) and Allison Kunhardt (age 17) in Virginia Beach last year had multiple interactions with local law enforcement prior to his plowing into their vehicle while in a drunken stupor. Anastacio Sanchez-Miranda who committed a triple homicide in Woodbridge last year had multiple interactions with the Prince William County Police for moving violations. It would appear that in the majority of cases where an illegal alien murders someone in the United States, they have had multiple interactions with law enforcement for minor violations, and the failure of federal, state and local law enforcement to address their unlawful presence is partly responsible for these deaths. These crimes are entirely preventable, if only our government would do the job they promised the American people they would do. Prince William County has stepped up for our public safety, and Frank Principi wants to put an end to that.

If this prospect enrages you, please share your views with the Prince William Board of County Supervisors at bocs@pwcgov.org. They need to hear from all of you right now.
http://www.bvbl.net/index.php/2008/04/2 ... -principi/