Lingamfelter weighs in on Stewart's immigration proposal

Prince William County, Va. - Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter, R-31st, applauded Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart's recent legislative suggestions concerning illegal immigration.

At the same time, he wishes that Stewart didn't have to concern himself with something he believes the federal government has dropped the ball on.

"My federal government has been so feckless about securing borders around my country that this legislator is trying to create all kinds of ways of dealing with illegal immigration in my community," Lingamfelter said.

On Thursday, Stewart released his legislative proposals for the Virginia General Assembly to consider. The proposals are at virginiaruleoflaw.com.

The list is broken down into 10 sections, dealing with everything from taxing international wire transfers to impounding vehicles of those who knowingly transport illegal immigrants in the state.

Some of the other ideas he released to the public last month.

Lingamfelter said he passed along Stewart's proposals to the legislative services office in Richmond on Thursday morning. Several of the ideas could work, said Lingamfelter, but he would like them vetted as much as possible before possibly introducing them on the House floor next session.

"Can you punish money transfers?" Lingamfelter said. "There are some interstate commerce issues associated with this [idea]. I don't want to create a situation where legit business people have to jump through a hoop. Many businesses have enough trouble now, as it is."

According to his website, Stewart is shooting for 100,000 signatures supporting his Rule of Law proposal. Lingamfelter said the best way for some of these ideas to make it through is to work on getting the Virginia Senate back into the Republican majority.

Lingamfelter said he appreciates Stewart's enthusiasm but said a few state politicians were taken aback with the way he went about announcing his initial immigration ideas last month.

"I was a little surprised that I hadn't heard from him because this is an issue that I've been working on since I went to Richmond," said Del. Jackson H. Miller, R-50th, said for a News & Messenger article dated June 19. "Since he wants the state to address this, I'm surprised I haven't heard from him about it."

Lingamfelter said the General Assembly has been fighting the illegal immigration battle for a number of years. He pointed out successes like the E-Verify program, which requires state agencies to check all new hires by the Commonwealth, and the requirement of legal status verification for those incarcerated in a Virginia jail.

At the local level, the supervisors unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday that would make it illegal to stand in a public right of way to solicit goods or services. This resolution was passed, in part, to help crack down on the formation of day laborer sites such as the one at the 7-Eleven on the corner of Prince William Parkway and Jefferson Davis Highway in Woodbridge.

Supervisor Frank W. Principi, D-Woodbridge, said this measure can help but that it isn't a "magic bullet" to get rid of day laborer gatherings. Under this resolution, police will not be able to give a citation to a laborer getting into a vehicle on private property such as a convenience store parking lot.

"This may add some new authority, but it doesn't get into the heart of the problem and that is the lack of cooperation of business owners to allow the police force to crack down on loitering, trespassing and public drunkenness," Principi said. "That is the authority that needs to come from Rich-mond."

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