America was indebted to immigration for her settlement and prosperity. That part of America which had encouraged them most had advanced most rapidly in population, agriculture and the arts.
- President James Madison
Prince William County Immigration Reform
Without widespread immigration reform from Congress, some local governments are taking it upon themselves to deal directly with illegal immigration. But using taxpayer money can stir tensions, at least in the case of Prince William County, Virginia, and nearby communities.
Prince William first received attention when it passed its crackdown plan last year. As a result of the move, those neighboring suburbs face are facing a new financial burden in a time of lean budgets. At the same time, the total cost of enforcement to Prince William County will cause a tax squeeze for its own residents.
The measures aimed at targeting illegal immigrants, originally included a provision that directed police to check the residency status of anyone detained for breaking the law, whether shoplifting, speeding or riding a bicycle without a helmet. These measures have since been modified to exclude minor traffic violations and other minor offenses. However, these efforts have nonetheless created inhospitable conditions for many in Prince William County, causing many to move elsewhere.
Originally drawn by relatively affordable housing and abundant construction jobs, thousands of undocumented migrants from Mexico and Central America had moved to Prince William in the past decade. Some lawmakers claimed that their presence was causing economic hardship and lawlessness. However, since the enforcement of the tougher regulations in 2007, Prince William County businesses have seen a negative impact on their bottom line.
Due to the flood of immigrants leaving Prince William County (due to feeling threatened and scared of deportation) there have been sharp declines in retail sales/sales tax, rental income, as well as less government money for the school district due to the declining number of students in local schools.
Many have said Prince William County’s policies will do nothing to solve the problem of some 12 million undocumented immigrants, but instead the new restrictions have lead to racial profiling of Latinos, including U.S. citizens and those who are here legally.
Posted on Thursday, June 05 | Permalink
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