BOCS chair proposing state legislation on illegal immigration

Prince William County, Va. - If Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart has his way, Virginia will be making things a lot tougher on illegal immigrants.

On Thursday, Stewart plans to announce multiple pieces of legislation for the General Assembly to con-sider, one of which is based on legislation passed recently in Oklahoma.

The first item would require all law enforcement officers in the state to check immigration status upon lawful detention if there is reasonable suspicion that the person detained is an illegal immigrant.

The second piece would be similar to legislation currently passed in Oklahoma that taxes international money transfers. The fee, which went into effect last July, is $5 on money transmissions up to $500, plus 1 percent of the amount in excess of $500. Consumers who file state tax returns can get a refund of the fees.

Businesses that fail to remit the fees to the Oklahoma Tax Commission face possible suspension of their licenses.

Stewart said this would adversely affect illegal immigrants who don't have Social Security numbers and do not pay state taxes.

"A normal guy who pays state taxes, you are going to get money your money back," Stewart said.

According to a 2009story in the Oklahoma City Journal Record, an analysis by state House staff indicated that the measure would raise about $4 million annually to help fund the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control.

The third item would make it a class one misdemeanor for illegal immigrants in Virginia to register a motor vehicle or have someone do it on their behalf.

The final item Stewart wants to introduce would make it a class 1 misdemeanor for an illegal immigrant to buy real property and a class 6 felony for a property valued at more than $500,000.

Stewart also would like to see anyone knowingly transferring an illegal alien to be guilty of human smug-gling. Those trafficking in illegal aliens have been arrested recently in Arizona and been sentenced to jail time.

Stewart would like to see this applied in Virginia to those transporting illegal immigrants working as day laborers.

Stewart said he gathering support around the state for these pieces of legislation but needs to do more bridge-building with the General Assembly members for the legislation be strongly considered.

"It's going to take some work, but I am confident that I am going to eventually get enough members in the House [of Delegates] and the Senate to get this passed," Stewart said.

Stewart said he does not want to go the route of Arizona, which is attempting to make being an illegal alien a state crime. A federal judge has issued a ruling barring some of the toughest aspects of the new law, which is scheduled to go into effect Thursday.

This includes the provision that lets police ask people to prove they are legally entitled to be in the United States.

Stewart said his proposed legislation was drafted with the assistance of the Immigration Reform Law Insti-tute in Washington, a key player in the illegal immigration resolution drafted and passed by the board in 2007.

Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-530-3904.