Lawmakers react to Stewart's Arizona-style immigration proposal

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. -- Prince William Chairman Corey A. Stewart wants the Virginia General Assembly to follow Arizona’s example and pass tough new illegal immigration laws.

Stewart recently formed the “Rule of Law” campaign, saying he hopes to spur state legislators into passing a law similar to the one recently passed Arizona.

The Arizona law, which is similar to an ordinance passed in Prince William County in 2007, allows police to check the immigration status of anyone they stop or suspect of a crime.

Stewart said Arizona lawmakers acted because the feds weren’t enforcing existing immigration laws.

“They’re definitely not doing their job in Virginia,” Stewart said of the federal government.

Stewart’s campaign includes an online petition urging Virginia lawmakers to make new state immigration laws that would in part:
• Allow law enforcement to break up day-laboring operations.
• Prohibit solicitation for work along all public roads.
• Allow Virginia law enforcement officials to arrest illegal immigrants without a warrant if they have reasonable suspicion that the arrest would lead to deportation.
• Direct Virginia jails to turn illegal immigrants over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement after they served their sentences.
• Impose harsh penalties on terrorists and illegal immigrants caught with illegal drugs and deadly weapons.

Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter, R- 31st District, said legislators in Richmond are already on the job.

“We actually passed a law before Prince William did that would restrict services to people not legally present in the United States,” Lingamfelter said. “I’m very appreciative of Corey Stewart’s encouragement and support and interest in the topic, but he should be assured — as well as the public — that you have lots of people who are solidly engaged on this issue and will continue to be.”
Lingamfelter said Stewart could be of help operating on the local front.

“I think where Corey could really help if he wanted to is to get the Board of County Supervisors to propose legislation in their legislative package,” Lingamfelter said.

Del. Jackson H. Miller, R-50th District, echoed Lingamfelter in saying that people are already working on illegal immigration legislation.

“Many of us have been working for years in Richmond on illegal immigration reform and we will continue to do so, and we’re glad that Corey is supporting us,” Miller said.

Miller said he was taken aback when he heard about Stewart’s initiative from secondhand sources.

“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,” Miller said. “Since he wants the state to address this, I’m surprised I haven’t heard from him about it.”

Stewart said he might not look to a Prince William representative to introduce his ideas in Richmond.

“We’re going to choose somebody who can be effective in carrying legislation,” Stewart said.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be a delegate from Prince William County,” Stewart said. “In fact it might be a benefit to have someone from outside the county carry the bill.”

Other areas in the state have issues with illegal immigration, Stewart said.

“Northern Virginia is not the only region with illegal immigration problems,” Stewart said. “Harrisonburg, in particular, Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads area, and some of the faster growing areas are where you’re going to find the worst illegal immigration problems.”

Del. Robert G. “Bob” Marshall, R-13th District, sent a letter Friday to Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli asking if state law already allowed police officers check into immigration status.
Marshall thinks it might.

“Obviously there’s some residual power there. Otherwise, Prince William County couldn’t have enacted the ordinance they did,” Marshall said.

If existing law won’t suffice, Marshall would be willing to pass laws that will work.

“If we can take action now without having to pass legislation, that is probably the most successful thing we can do,” Marshall said. “If we can’t then we’re going to have to put this out in the form of bills.”

Still, it takes both houses to pass bills, and Marshall isn’t optimistic that any bill would pass on both fronts in the Virginia General Assembly.

“I am not hopeful that the liberal Senate Democrats would be interested in even enforcing the federal laws,” he said.

Miller agreed, saying that several bills he sponsored passed in the House of Delegates only to fail in the Senate.

Stewart said the resolution worked in Prince William County and would work for the state.

“Since the resolution was passed violent crime went down 37 percent in the county,” Stewart said. “Police statistics show that the overall crime rate is at a 15-year low.”

According to the Associated Press, Gov. Bob McDonnell said his administration will review the proposal.

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