Thread: VA: Lawmaker Wants U.S. to Pay Immigration Costs

http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=25&sid=1042142#

Lawmaker Wants U.S. to Pay Immigration Costs
Jan 24th - 1:20pm


Evan Haning, WTOP Radio
MANASSAS, Va. - In Tuesday night's State of the Union address, President Bush called for a cool discussion on one of the most hotly debated issues in the country -- immigration.

"Convictions run deep in this capital when it comes to immigration," Bush said. "Let us have a civil and conclusive debate."

The debate has already begun for some area legislators. Prince William County Supervisor Wally Covington claims the cost of providing services to illegal immigrants last year was at least $3 million. So Covington is asking the U.S. House and Senate for retribution.

Covington of Brentsville has written to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Dick Cheney requesting recovery of the county's costs. The Washington Post reports that the county's claim includes Medicaid expenses and housing illegal immigrants in jail.

And last year alone, the county hired more than 50 teachers for "English-as-a-second-language classes."

Prince William County supervisors are trying to overcome an $18 million budget shortfall this year and reducing spending by $22 million for their 2008 budget cycle.

Meantime, Manassas delegate Jackson Miller says he's introduced a bill forbidding nonprofit groups such as churches from using taxpayer money to help undocumented workers. But in Montgomery County, Executive Ike Leggett has proposed an entirely different approach, asking county funding for an immigrant center near the Shady Grove Metro station.

"English-as-a-second-language classes."

English should always be the first language in the USA! We should not be accommodating foreigners, if they want to get along they must CONFORM to our style not vice-versa!!! When will the self-serving political hacks top wasting tax-payers' money funding unneccessary, un-American programs?

STAND IN LINE WALLY!!!!!!!!so does everyone else.