Principi says let’s move on
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Supervisor vents frustration over ‘rhetoric’
BY KIPP HANLEY
jhanley@insidenova.com
Woodbridge Supervisor Frank J. Principi sees no reason to advance Prince William County’s official position on illegal immigration to the state level.
Recently, the Board of County Supervisors — including Principi — passed its legislative priorities in hopes of wooing its local representatives to the General Assembly to submit bills on these items of interest. One of those issues deals with the arrest of illegal immigrants suspected of crimes.
To Principi’s dismay, the board included a request that would give state troopers the power to check into the person’s immigration status after any type of arrest, if there is “probable cause.” This differs from the county version, which states that immigration
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status checks by police could only be made after a physical “custodial” arrest.
Submitted by Del. Scott M. Lingamfelter, R-Woodbridge, the bill — which is currently awaiting a vote in the Courts of Justice committee — states that an officer could request the immigration status of someone after a “warrantless arrest.” Warrantless arrests typically occur when a police officer sees a crime being attempted or committed. Consequently, anything from speeding to running a red light could technically merit a warrantless arrest.
On Monday, Principi participated in a teleconference hosted by the Center for American Progress. His reason to participate in the teleconference — which examined the downside to local governments’ immigration policies — was born out of frustration with the county’s decision to push the illegal immigration issue. “I wanted to be sure that those in Richmond and others that are interested know that the initial version [of the immigration bill] did not work for us,” Principi said.
Dave Albo, R-Springfield, proposed a bill similar to Lingamfelter’s that does not include language regarding warrantless arrests.
Principi said that if the immigration stance had been pulled out of the rest of the board’s legislative priorities, he would have voted against it. He also called the immigration policy — initially passed before he was elected in the fall of 2007 — a political tool for certain board members.
Gainesville Supervisor John T. Stirrup proposed the initial resolution just a few months before the previous election. Since that proposal, Chairman Corey A. Stewart has been the most outspoken supervisor against illegal immigration, even last year creating a political action committee named Virginia Rule of Law.
Principi said he’s a supporter of the 287-G program, which allows jail personnel to check the immigration status of those arrested and housed in the Prince William Adult Detention Center. He also said illegal immigrants should return to their native country and come back through legal means.
But that’s where it should stop, said Principi, who stated the county should focus more about creating jobs and improving the school system and less about promoting illegal immigration measures to the General Assembly. Aside from tangible initial startup costs and annual expenses used to implement this policy, Principi said the county has lost potential revenue in sales and property taxes thanks, in part, to the county’s immigration policy.
In 2007, the county received $47,921,000 in sales tax revenue back from the state, which is 20 percent of what is collected. By 2009, that number dipped to $ 45,055,000. However, by 2010, sales tax revenue jumped back up to $46,155,000.
The combination of the recession and the immigration policy left many small businesses in the Woodbridge district “teetering on the edge of bankruptcy,” Principi said.
“What I am railing against is this continued political rhetoric that sends a very negative signal to our diverse population, to our businesses, to those who live and work here,” Principi said.
The Center for American Progress quotes county planning and budget director Tom Pulaski as stating that the county spent $1.3 million up front and between $700,000 and $750,000 annually on enforcing the policy.
The Center for American Progress bills itself as a nonprofit public policy and research organization that address issues like energy, national security, economic growth and opportunity, immigration, education, and health care.
Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-530-3904.