Thread: Spotsylvania Spotsy deputies may tackle immigration

Spotsy deputies may tackle immigration

Spotsylvania supervisor wants staff to determine the costs of using deputies as immigration agents
BY DAN TELVOCK


Date published: 10/10/2007

BY DAN TELVOCK

The Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors asked staff last night to figure out the costs and benefits of using a federal law that allows local deputies to act as immigration agents.

What was once an obscure section in the federal Immigration and Nationality Act has now become a hot topic as local governments battle the issue of illegal immigration.

Supervisor Chris Yakabouski, who is running for Virginia Senate against Sen. Edd Houck (D-Spotsylvania), got the motion passed unanimously.

"This is something we can do," Yakabouski said after the meeting. "I want to exhaust all avenues we have to combat illegal immigration."

Earlier this year, Yakabouski asked staff to investigate options the county government has to deny services to illegal immigrants. A report has yet to come back. The county also joined a coalition of governments to lobby state lawmakers for help.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) administer the program. Police take a day of training for the authority. The powers become official after the county signs a memorandum of understanding with DHS.

Culpeper officials considered sending police for the training. Herndon in Northern Virginia already did.

Critics of the law say it burdens local law enforcement departments and the taxpayers, who will end up paying for any additional positions. Spotsylvania Sheriff Howard Smith could not be reached for comment. Yakabouski said he did not confer with Smith before he made the motion.

Supervisor Hap Connors cautioned that Prince William County supervisors got "sticker shock" when they saw the costs associated with trying to combat illegal immigration on a local level.

In other action:

Supervisors unanimously agreed to use $1.5 million in proffers from Cosner's Corner and the Massaponax Service Tax District and $200,000 in federal funds to start design of a new bridge over Interstate 95 near the U.S. 17 Bypass.

With the current four-lane approach from the west of the U.S. 17 Bypass, and the planned four-laning from Hospital Boulevard, county staff agreed the bridge over I-95 needs widening so there isn't a traffic bottleneck.

It will cost about $9 million to replace the bridge and another $6.8 million for the road widening.

Supervisors approved 6-0, with Supervisor Vince Onorato abstaining, to move ahead with phase one of a public-private agreement with Spotsylvania County Infrastructure LLC to begin full designs and construction of six road projects listed on the $144 million 2005 bond referendum.

The projects total $25.6 million and are: Harrison Road; Harrison-Kingswood/Beuclaire; Mine-Hardwood/Campbell; Massaponax Church-Rt. 17; Gordon Road Widening; Mine-Lansdowne; and Smith Station/Piedmont.

To view the improvements, see the county's agenda at www.spotsylva nia.va.us.

Onorato abstained from the vote because he said he didn't have enough time to read the "lengthy" legal agreement with SCI.

Dan Telvock: 540/374-5438
Email: dtelvock@freelancestar.com

http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2007 ... 007/324078

Quote from article-
Supervisor Hap Connors cautioned that Prince William County supervisors got "sticker shock" when they saw the costs associated with trying to combat illegal immigration on a local level.

Its still cheaper than letting them stay or worse have them growing in numbers and driving down wages and property values while driving up taxes to pay for all the services they use/abuse.
Also I am ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN the legal citizens of PWC are more than willing to pay extra taxes to have them removed and discouraged from settling there.




Head 'em up,move 'em out Rawhide!