A cluster of day laborers assemble each weekday morning near the busy intersection of Machen Road and St. Germain Drive in Centreville.
The laborers — from El Salvador and Guatemala — speak little or no English, but their presence has sparked a raging debate among politicians, business owners and residents over whether to allow a local businessman, Albert Dwoskin, to build a day-laborer site for the workers.
“The men like the idea,” said Connie Rojas, a volunteer at nearby Wellspring United Church of Christ, which offers the day laborers clothing, food, and services such as English language instruction.
Rojas visited with the laborers one day, and said roughly half the men were illegal immigrants. She said the day-laborer site would help the men improve their English and learn how to better assimilate into the community.
The site theoretically would keep the laborers off neighborhood streets and out of public view. “People shouldn’t get caught up in the question of illegal or legal,” said Supervisor Michael Frey, R-Sully, who says he supports building the day-laborer center.
“We’ve got a situation folks said is not good, and we’re trying to make it better,” he said, referring to the practice among day laborers of loitering on Centreville’s streets. Other local officials oppose the site.
“We’re shifting the problem from one area to another and legitimizing it, and I don’t support that,” said Supervisor Pat Herrity, R-Springfield, echoing the views of many Centreville residents.
Herrity said he would back the site if every participant’s citizenship were verified, but he could not support a proposal that he believes promotes an illegal activity.
Residents voiced an array of concerns at a recent town hall meeting. “This will make the problem worse, because if the site gets the reputation of being a sanctuary location it’ll attract more day laborers,” said Fairfax resident Kevin Anastas, 56, a Northrop Grumman employee.
Other residents argued that an influx of day laborers would lead to a spike in crime. But Centreville police say crime perpetrated by day laborers hasn’t been an issue. According to Bill Threlkeld, who managed a day-laborer site in nearby Herndon from 2005 to 2007, there was no surge in workers once it opened. Calls to Dwoskin’s office were not returned.
