Strict Immigration Laws And Their Impact On Local Real Estate Values
Published on:
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Written by:
Jerry Erickson


While an increasing number of American citizens have been pushing for stricter immigration laws — one county has found that cutting back on immigration can have unintended consequences. Prince William County, Virginia has seen real estate prices collapse recently, and a large part of the falling values has been the result of new stricter immigration laws and a loss of immigrant residents. For more information, read the following article from JD Supra by immigration attorney Jerry Erickson.

Have you noticed that Prince William’s immigrants, both illegal and legal, are leaving the county? In 2007, Prince William’s foreign-born population dropped 6 percent while neighboring Fairfax County increased its immigrant population by 7 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2007. Although a trip down Smoketown Road during rush hour might lead you to believe that the county is as overpopulated as ever, the drop in the noncitizen population is real and will likely continue.

What is the difference between the counties? Anti-illegal immigration legislation. Prince William has it, Fairfax doesn’t, and as of December 1, 2008, Manassas decided to follow in the steps of Prince William by requiring the police department to check the immigration status of all persons arrested for a violation of state or local law.

There are costs and benefits of having one of the fastest growing immigrant populations in the country — and plenty of folks on both sides of the debate. The people of Manassas have watched the progression of the Prince William anti-illegal measures as concerned next-door neighbors. Its citizens have decided that they are willing to take the good with the bad.

Proponents of the legislation tout the reduction in the number of overcrowded area homes. They are happy to see the demise of many “boarding houseâ€