Prince William County’s crackdown on illegal immigrants would be hurt under legislation before Congress that would cut funding for local law enforcement agencies’ enforcement of immigration laws.
The House version of the Department of Homeland Security spending bill for fiscal 2009 would not fund any efforts by state or local authorities to enforce laws related to the federal 287(g) program other than in jails, prisons or correctional facilities without approval from the assistant secretary of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Under the 287(g) program, local law enforcement has the authority to hold an inmate under a federal detainer if the officer determines the suspect is an illegal immigrant.
The most recent Prince William policy, which went into effect July 1, requires county police officers to check the legal status of anyone arrested. The original policy approved in October allowed officers to check the status of anyone suspected of committing a crime.
Loudoun County recently received clearance from ICE to begin conducting status checks of those arrested in connection with serious crimes, and Fairfax County has applied to join the program.
Rep. Frank Wolf, R-10th District, sent a letter last week to Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, arguing to change the bill.
“It isn’t just Prince William, it’s the whole country,” Wolf told The Examiner. “I think you need that partnership. To allow the program to dry up — it just demonstrates that Congress is out of touch.”
He wrote in the letter that the program is being used in 55 jurisdictions, and at least 80 jurisdictions have applications pending.
Local officials railed against the proposal, arguing that local authorities such as police were instrumental in maintaining their partnership with ICE.
“Why on Earth Congress … would prevent local enforcement of illegal aliens committing crimes is beyond me,” said Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart, R-at large. “That would kill Prince William County’s crackdown on illegal immigration. You need to be able to do it with the police department, not just the jail.”
Out of 867 suspects held under detainer in Prince William in the past year, 747 have been turned over to the federal government.
But Lisa Johnson-Firth, a lawyer for the Immigration and Human Rights Law Group in Manassas, said local enforcement wasn’t the primary issue.
“If they were to really hit the 287(g), the jails [are] where they would do it,” she said.
Stewart championed Wolf’s efforts, saying the representative “understands the positive impact the crackdown has on the quality of life in [Prince William County].”
John Steinbach of Mexicans Without Borders, though, said the crackdown has had the opposite effect on the county. With the migrant community less willing to come forward to report crimes, community policing efforts have been dealt a “terrible, terrible blow,” he said.
Manassas City Council Member Marc Aveni said that whatever the effect of the proposal, he hoped it would not hurt local authorities.
