Stewart pleased at governor's move

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. -- Gov. Bob McDonnell has requested that the Department of Homeland Security enter into a 287(g) agreement with the Virginia Department of State Police.

The program allows local law enforcement officials to enforce certain immigration laws and begin the process of deporting illegal immigrants.

Prince William Chairman Corey A. Stewart said he is pleased with McDonnell’s move.

He said it will benefit Prince William County for state police to be authorized to act on illegal immigration under the federal law.

Prince William entered into 287(g) agreement with Immigration and Customs enforcement in 2007.

“Now state police and other state law enforcement officials who are in Prince William County will be part of the effort,” Stewart said.

Stewart said Prince William’s enforcement of federal immigration laws has driven illegal immigrants out of the county into neighboring counties.

A statewide agreement with ICE would be helpful, he said.

“I think there’s also something to be said for a statewide cooperative effort instead of a county-by-county effort in terms of better coordination with Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” Stewart said. “The problem that we’ve had is that illegal immigrants have simply been going back-and-forth to other counties and they’re not going to stay out of Prince William County forever unless we can get this adopted on a statewide basis.”

Stewart said McDonnell’s move was a “good first step.”

“Ultimately to address illegal immigration in Virginia, we’re going to have to adopt an Arizona-like statute,” he said.

The Arizona legislature recently passed a law requiring that police check the immigration status of people they believe might be in the country illegally.

Certain provisions of the law have been stopped by court order.

McDonnell’s formal request came after months of talks with ICE officials, stated a governor’s office press release.

It’s unclear how long it might take for Virginia State Police to be authorized under the program.

Richard Rocha, Immigration and Customs Enforcement senior deputy press secretary, said that authorization depends on several issues.

“We look at all of the resources we have in an area and we look at all of the other different partnerships and tools we have in place. After examining the resources we have in the area, we’re able to determine if a 287(g) limitation is the best course of action,” Rocha said.

As Virginia Attorney General, McDonnell helped Prince William County enter into an agreement with the feds, Stewart said.

“McDonnell has always been a supporter of 287(g). When he was attorney general he helped Prince William County significantly during that whole controversy in 2007,” Stewart said.

Senior reporter Keith Walker can be reached at 703-369-6751.