Today’s Washington Post is reporting that the Prince William County Board of Supervisors is about to vote on a proposal that would put the county at the forefront of the immigration debate:
Prince William County is moving to enact what legal specialists say are some of the toughest measures in the nation targeting illegal immigrants, including a provision that would direct police to check the residency status of anyone detained for breaking the law — whether shoplifting, speeding or riding a bicycle without a helmet.
The measures would also compel county schools and agencies — including libraries, medical clinics, swimming pools and summer camps — to verify the immigration status of anyone who wants to use services in Virginia’s second-largest county. Courts have upheld the right of undocumented immigrants to a public education, raising the possibility of a legal challenge.
Although similar efforts to create inhospitable conditions for illegal immigrants have been attempted recently in Hazleton, Pa., Farmers Branch, Tex., and Valley Park, Mo., the Prince William resolution appears to be unique, specialists say. And with federal immigration reform stalled in Congress, officials across the country are increasingly likely to experiment with restrictions that test legal boundaries and push for a greater role for local police in immigration enforcement.
Other Virginia towns such as Manassas, Herndon and Culpeper have considered or adopted laws aimed at illegal immigrants, but none have been as extensive as the Prince William proposals. The county Board of Supervisors blames illegal immigrants for crime, spiraling school costs, overcrowded housing and cultural behaviors that they say undermine their constituents’ quality of life.
While the proposal will probably be popular with the electorate, in at least one respect it may stand on uncertain legal ground:
Kathleen Walker, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said such measures would be “extremely harsh” and at odds with the 1982 Supreme Court decision Plyler v. Doe, which prohibits states from denying education to undocumented immigrants. “You can’t prevent a child from going to school,” she said.
Of course, that was in 1982 and the Supreme Court is very different today.
Another interesting part of the proposal would allow private citizens to get involved:
[T]here is one exceptional item in the resolution, Kobach said — a provision that would give legal residents “writ of mandamus” powers, which would allow them to sue Prince William if they suspect that a county agency has failed to comply with the resolution’s aim of denying services and reporting violators. Muzaffar Chishti, director of the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute’s office at the New York University law school, said that particular measure is “as close to encouraging vigilante action as I have ever seen on paper.”
“Clearly, this is inciting people,” he said.
That, I think, is a bit of an over reaction.
I’m not sure how I feel about this right now, but it’s clear that the Supervisors are responding to what many county residents feel is a major problem.
July 6th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
These actions will be a major set back for democracy if Prince-William county is allowed to go after undocumented immigrants. This is a prelude to a police state. REMEMBER HITLER’S GERMANY.
July 7th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Hitler’s Germany? LOL.
Oh! I get it! The Jews sneaked into Germany. Instead of sneaking out the country, the Jews had to be forced out, and the concentration camps were vacation resorts they were sent to until they agreed to leave.
July 8th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Long past time for the idiotic Plyler case to be revisited AND reversed.
Loading up the American taxpayer with the bills of paying for the education of every illegal alien that can make it across the border is one of the WORST CRIMES ever perpetrated against the people of this country.
The “anchor baby” debacle should also be abolished in the interests of honesty, justice and fair play.
We get our country back, and soon, whether through the courts or in the streets. Those are the ONLY two options left to the American people by ITS government!
July 9th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Whether intentionally or not, this will encourage and produce racial profiling as it will affect the Hispanic community the most if not exclusively. Whom do you think they will ask for documentation, the John Smith’s or the Jose Rodriguezes? Regardless of the problem with illegal immigrants any measures aimed at a specific group is wrong bordering on Xenophobia.
July 10th, 2007 at 9:38 am
Mr. Mataconis, you forgot to quote from the article that “Police Chief Charlie T. Dean…warned of ‘a potential chilling effect on witness cooperation and victim-witness cooperation.” And separately, in response to Santiago, many illegal immigrants PAY TAXES and contribute to social security. They’ve obtained social security numbers illegally in order to get jobs and receive a paycheck, but they will never cash out on their contributions. Older American citizens now benefit from the money illegal immigrants add to social security.
July 10th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
I know one thing for certain, Will doesn’t live close to the illegal’s he is spouting about if he did he would be singing a different song. I live in Mexico in Manassas, VA. It used to be a nice place to live until the area was invaded by the illegals. I know lots of people have been complaining for years about the growing problem and the government did nothing because it was supposedly a federal issue. Well the federal government failed again to do anything but offer amnesty to those we continually break our laws. I am glad the county government is finally stepping in. I do not owe these law breakers anything. I don’t owe those food stamps, free healthcare, housing subsidies, free child care, or their children schooling. I tired of paying for them. They are living better then we American and it is being paid with our money and using our programs. They have the so called anchor baby to keep them here. I have seen children as young as 14 having babies. These people children should not be granted citizenship just because they are born here. If the parent’s are illegal so are their children. They are again using our laws against us. Why should we let them? Enough is enough!!!! Their children should be considered as illegal as the parents that would really contribute to stopping the flow. We have been used and used again and again and I am tired of it. Will if you feel so generous let them move into your house and you area and get them out of mine. WIll you are a hypocrite. You call us bigots and I bet the closest you have been to the problem with illegals is at the Burger King, McDonald’s, Wal-Mart; you don’t have to live with them. Your children are probably safe in their schools. Well those in this area aren’t. Why don’t we send our children to your schools and you send you’re to ours. It is people like you who really don’t know what they are talking about and that includes the Congress and the President and all of you are ruining this country.
July 10th, 2007 at 3:22 pm
ridiculous!
(Jazzie you should get a prize for melodrama…)
The only thing I got right from the previous comment is the close mind and racism. I hope you are never denied of your natural rights. I am not trying to defend anyone, only think about human beings, every single person should go to school and have medical care if needed.
Can you see that without illegal immigrants your country would not be the same. Yeah… Hispanics work at BK, McDonalds, Wal-Mart, cleaning, construction, etc, etc, Do you all benefit from it??? YES, of course you do, all of these people are wwwwaaaayyyy underpaid and the majority DO pay taxes and NEVER receive nothing back.
If you don’t care if children go to school or not it is your problem, but if people are not educated, many will think like you. Please inform yourself…
July 10th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
The illegals are being used by the employers as slave in this area is best in the long run fro them to go back and come legally and the only way is by making it dificult for illegals to work here.
July 10th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
They say we live in a country of laws, if you break the law you don’t deserve anything…well the county is trying to approved a law that is against the constitution, the mother of all the laws. It’s a shame that the alcoholic, red necks that don’t do anything good for this country but hate everybody and complain for everything pretend to speak for all the american people…the good Americans are those who work hard and contribute for the development of this beautiful country and don’t even bother to participate in radio and television talk shows.
July 10th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
There are 3 families living in 1 house next door. It’s an ever revolving flow of strangers (all of these strangers are males between 20-40 years old) in and out, all hours of the day. I am trying to raise my family here! Those who are against removing illegal immigrants are either illegal themselves or live in neighborhoods not feeling the impact of these criminals. If you want to come to America, come through the front door like my parents, not by sneaking in through the back. Why should my children attend school in trailers ( I pay my property taxes) just because anchor babies are taking their spot in the class room? My mother was never handed information from our government written in her language, yet she managed to raise 5 children and send them all to college. Whos United States are these nowadays, ours or Mexico’s?
July 10th, 2007 at 10:15 pm
You have to be on drugs to say their being used as slaves is nuts nobody put a gun to their head they came here by choice.And to say what would this country be like with out Illegals working at BK and McDonalds and all the other jobs you said Your Nuts To these companies have be around for decades and did just fine.You act like they built this country wake up nothing more than A strain on the system goodby S.S. And when you can work Tax free and you put nothing in the system you deserve nothing what makes them so special that we owe them maybe they should go back to wher they came from thats where their U.S dollar goes their is a reson why the U.S dollar is mexico biggest import. And why should my taxs pay for them free medical ,food, stamps, wic and any thing else they can get for free They should practice Birth Control If you Cant support them Dont have them I cant afford to take care of my kids and theirs to and IF they didnt get all the freebees they wouldnt be here.And this is not Racism its the facts so dont try to play that card its be played enough!
July 11th, 2007 at 11:31 am
It’s very sad when the country comes down to this. People bickering back and forth when the real issue isn’t being seen. This is about human rights. There are immigrants from all over the world in this country who come to make a better life for themselves and their families. This is a very beautiful and prosperous country that has been blessed by God from the beginning. If anybody has ever been to a less prosperous country you will see that the way of life is not as great a quality..you wouldn’t want to make a life there. Yes, there are people who take advantage of the rights in the United States and that is something they’ll give an account for at due time, but why punish everyone? There are sincere, hard-working people trying to make a living. Fortunately, God is in control of the situation and nothing will happen unless He wants it to happen for his divine reasons.
July 11th, 2007 at 11:38 am
All of these comments about how a hundred years ago, immigrants did the same thing, but legally. Inform yourselves first! A hundred years ago, people checked in at Ellis Island because there was no other way to come into NYC from Europe… (well I suppose you could have made a boat and sailed across to Orient Point, LI). The process was basically checking in to make sure you weren’t sick and weren’t bringing disease, then off yo go inot the great bowels of Manhattan, where people piled into apartments, many more than a building could accomodate, lving in squalor, unsafe conditions, not paying taxes, and working at anything they could do to eek out a living. It’s all the same today, except for the steamers from Europe. The people living in Pr William are in the same situations every “white” person’s “legitimate ancestral immigrants” were in back a hundred years. These people want to work, want to offer their energy and get nothing back that they have not earned. They DO want to educate their children and offer THEM something ebtter than what they have. And guess what - so did your ancestors a hundred years ago. You see, back in Europe, only the wealthy got to send kids to school. Everyone else had them work. The parents heard that in America, children went to school and got educated, and parents earned enough to not have them working. So they came because of that, among many other very similar reasons.
People, don’t be ignorant and don’t buy into the rants of the racist loonies in this country in 2007. The situations faced by Latins is the same faced by eastern and southern Europeans in 1907. They are coming for the same reasons. They don’t mean any ahrm and don’t mean to make you nervous. if you don’t like living near them, chances are you’re living in a rundown section of town where apartments are affordable… Hmmm, do you blame them for the poor upkeep of properties held by slumlords?? Hmmm, does that mean you live in the slums…? Just a thought.
I have another thought - rather than blaming others for the “strain” they put on things like parks, libraries, schools and hospitals - why don’t you look at yoursleves in the mirror and ask - have I, a fully nationalized American citizen, done the most that I can do in this country given all of the many many advantages I’ve been given simply by being born here… or am I trying to beat up someone else because I am by most accounts, a failure in my own country?
July 11th, 2007 at 11:44 am
Is it possible that the side effects of this ordinance will not produce the results it is intended to produce? It seems as though the purpose is to stop people who are undocumented from using resources that are designed for and paid for by Prince William County, Virginia and United States residents. I think the rationale is that if they can not get these benefits then they will return to their country of origin and either return legally or not at all. Do we really think that’s going to happen?
I think that undocumented folks are probably going to get more sophisticated at creating and finding false documentation - perhaps increasing the growing problem of identity theft.
I think that undocumented folks are probably going to feel pretty desperate when they can’t find a home or feed their family and will resort to crime long before they make the trek back thousands of miles.
I wonder what all these uneducated children are going to do all day until their family gets desperate enough to make a change which will likely be to a neighboring area, not Mexico.
I can see where people are concerned about immigration, from many sides of the issue. I agree that changes need to be made for everyone’s benefit. I’m just not sure this change is going to produce the results we want or like.
July 11th, 2007 at 11:45 am
Let us take time to reflect on our thoughts and look at the big picture here.
“A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” John 13:34
Who is willing to obey?
July 11th, 2007 at 11:46 am
All:
I agree wholeheartedly with Jazzie! Being from Southern VA, I well know, and have always appreciated the effort and contributions made by immigrants (I grew-up on a hog/tobbacco farm, and we always needed the migrant workers that showed up in droves each season), however, the difference was they went back home when the work was done. They did not drag their families acroos the desert or busy highways to sneak-in, they sent their money home. I bear no ill will towards those in our country legally, but since moving here (DC/Maryland)I have felt increasingly like the immigrant! I pay a large amount of rent to live in Riverdale MD, where the only “American” store for miles is 7-eleven. I tried recently to send money to my Son via cable and after 3 trips to different Western Unions, still could not find slips necessary for the transaction printed in English OR a clerk that spoke English! I am a 39 year old federal employee, and have always believed that Bed Bugs were simply part of a childs night time rhyme. NOT SO!!! I’ve been in this apartment for 2 weeks, and have each and every morning woken with horrible bites all over me. Check the research people, we eradicated Bed Bugs from OUR country in the 40’s, well, being a native bug of guess where, Central America and Mexico, they are back and in scary, scary numbers, as are their HOSTS. They carry them here in their belongings and on their bodies. And crowded living conditions compound the problem. All you nay-sayers will feel differently when you wake-up in a 5-star hotel covered in welts!!! And it won’t be the hotel that’s the problem. Mexicans are not Americans. We cannot and should not expect them to behave as such; regular baths and laundry cleaning,they have very little plumbing systems where they are from. Speaking and writing in English; yea right. Obeying traffic laws or laws of any kind; they will tell you themselves that they are here to escape horrible crime and poverty in their own home, well how the Hell did it get that way!!??!! Now we are expected to allow them in to subjugate our communities? I don’t think so. I was planning to move, and you can bet your bottom dollar I’m looking in Prince William County!! A place, seemingly one of the few places, that an American can live without fear of rampant gang and drug infestations, abuses of tax dollars, and lax Government oversight. AND WITHOUT BED BUGS and God knows what other foreign born problems. Thank you so much PWC, you will be the torch that lights the way for the rest of the country. I’m again proud to be an American!! Did I mention how nice it will be to walk into 7-eleven for AM coffee without stepping over, across and through 200+ filthy Mexican men, grinning across stained teeth and broken English? Yea, I think I just did!
July 11th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Im not sure if Kelly is ignorant or is a racist. I feel sorry for you. I know many many many Mexicans and they all shower regularly and do thier laundry. I could say the same about people from South VA. They all smell like cigarettes and cow dung. They are not Northern Virginians. We cannot and should not expect them to enter into a sexual relationship with someone who is not a family member.
Im going to do you a favor Kelly. Im going to give you some inside information into the Hispanic culture. We will do anything for our families. We will work below minimum wage, work 3 ro 4 jobs, or do things we would normally never do just to take care of eachother. This is not just for our kids but our parents to. Unlike the “American” culture, we do not drop our parents off in a retirement home or leave them to fend for themselves. We are in it together for life. I would do unspeakable things for my family and thats the difference between Hispanics and you. I was fortunate enough to have been born here and have made a life for myself not forgeting my culture but also conforming a bit to American culture. I do believe that people should come here legally and learn English but I also think the government should not set so many barriers for those that want to come here. Most of the illegals that come here are poor in thier countries and for that reason the government will not give them Visas. As for the immigrants that come here and are in gangs or refuse to learn English…Im not opposed to getting rid of them. If the point of coming here is for a better life then do it but dont ruin mine. As for you idiots complaining about taxes, most immigrants who have fake social security numbers get jobs that take taxes out of thier checks. The immigrants dont cash out on these checks so instead of complaining, just take your parents to the social security office to pick up thier checks and shut up.
July 11th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Carolina:
Never will the paltry sums added to our Social Security Systems by illegals make up for the gross amounts STOLEN through the FRUAD you so desperatly attempt to idealize. They should have no check at all! Such wonderful families your people seem to have. I guess the horrible murders and crimes we hear about as you people destroy your own country then run headlong into mine to escape it are all fabricated by bigots like me!I love the way you use the paint of abject ignorance and lack of education to show how much you support one another.And I know YOU didn’t go there about abberant sexual behavior!!! Truly listen to yourself: “fake”, “I would do unspeakable things”, “conforming a bit”. Please just go home, just go home. Do your unspeakable things, bathe or don’t bathe, lie drunk and beat-up in the street all weekend long, just do it far, far south of the border. You do not have the right to my life, my land or my country. Pull yourself up out of the dirt, and change your own existance. This is America, and we treat ALL leeches the same. SPLATTTT!! The next time you people deside to march through Our streets, carrying Our flag, and singing Our National Anthem in jibberish, you’ll think twice. This has only just begun my friend. When you’re surronded by deportation buses at your next big rally, you’ll be awake enough to smell the sasparilla! And close enough home!!
July 11th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Oh, and Kelly just happens to be a 39 yr old black female conservative, with two graduate degrees, and hundreds of years of family history in this country. We EARNED our place here, with HONEST hard work, and LOVE for the American dream. We didn’t steal it on the tiny backs of newborns and the stolen identities of dead Americans.
July 11th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Will is an idiot. Any CITIZEN would not mind being asked to show their documents proving their legality if that is what it takes to start forcing these illegals back home. It is not aimed a one group of people. It just so happens that most illegals are Mexicans or Central Americans and that is especially true in Prince William. You do not see Koreans or Indians sneaking across our border. On the other hand we should also deport people who overstay visas, which is a particularly non-Hispanic issue, as almost none of them are here legally.
July 11th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Wow…Well I live in Prince William County and I say Hell yes to this proposal. Ever drive down Route 1 in Marumsco Plaza? Do you have your house vandalized by MS-13’s or do you even know who and what they are? Have you driven past Red Lobster over by Potomac Mills when MS-13’s spray painted thier names all over the signage. Have you sent your child to schools where latino children can barely speak english and are alot slower than the rest of the children which requires the teachers one on one with them? Do you know that American has enacted Employment laws, child labor laws to stop the slave trade? yes illegals are working as a slave trade becuase they are accepting less pay than the American who graduated from high school. Do you know that BK, Mickie D, Walmart are hiring more and more illegals who cant speak a lick of english are taking away jobs from our teenagers. Yes, our teens are affected by the the job market as well. Have you seen the real estate market where lenders are preying on the ignorance of the illegals and giving them outrageous loans which in turn balloon if they do not refinance and therefore creates more foreclosures. We, Americns pay for thie healthcare, childcare, welfare (have you been down to the WIC office or even the DSS?), education but we as Americans cant even get a helping hand. No child left behind is more for the illegal’s children rather than our children. Push a child forward even though they have not grasp the current grade. Thats great just create more dumb ppl. Have you seen where a whole town has literally become a hispanic country? Spanish is spoken first and english second, ie Miami. Signage in spanish, streets in spanish. last time I checked this was America. We need to make English the official language and anyone who is coming here NEEDS to learn that language. Not saying we cant learn theirs but we do not need to lose our culture in the process. Just as black american have to assimilate to the overall white culture during slavery and beyond, latinos need to do that as well. How can you live in a country for 20 yrs and not speak a lick of English or even try to get citizenship. As for racial profiling, it’s going to happen regardless. We just need toown up to the fact that no matter what color or nationality you are there will be some drawbacks. But this proposal states “illegal immigrants” so that doesnt just say latinos, it includes all nationalities who are here such as Africans, Europeans, arabs and whathave you. Just that the latino population hapens to be our border and more easily crossable. In addition, illegal immigrants are criminals, they break our border laws and employment laws. they should be held accountable as well as the big business who hires them. But to solve all this illegal immigration mess is to just make Mexico an American State. Yea we need to invade Mexico 9we already did it to Iraq) and just take over and then there will be no need for lations to illegally cross the border. Also Mexican border patrol on the southern border will not allow South Americans to cross over illegally. They jail them, kill them and deport them quickly. Why is it wrong for Americans to do that?
July 11th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
Sounds a little to me like the nay-sayers are just a bit OUT VOTED. I would seriously suggest to any politicians following this and the many, many, other blogs out there on the subject to take care that they not find themselves on the same leaky boat!
July 11th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
Gee,to think we all go to church on Sunday to praise the Lord! We all pray on Sunday night, asking for forgiveness! And Monday through Saturday… we hate each other! Even the “Least of them”…
God Bless America… there must be a better way to respect and help the human rights of those who hunger for opportunity.
July 11th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
this is a great idea, this isn’t racism. Get over it people, they’re supposed to look at everyone. It just so happens that freakin’ Mexicans are the ones that seem to come over illegaly the most. Oh well. American’s aren’t supposed to do illegal shit why the hell should imigrants get away with it. I have no problem with immigrants, just go about the correct way.
July 11th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Kelly hearing your comments makes me sick…You are so IGNORANT that it’s actually sad reading your comments…you really have a degree?…you just wasted your time going to school. This is about Human rights! and if you remember not to long ago a black women could not have a child in VA or MD hospital! She had to go to DC to have her child! You seem to be miserable with your life…so this is a great opportunity for you to put Latinos down…that don’t give a two cents about you. We come to this country for our families. To provide a better life for them. Hell yeah there is nothing impossible to help our parents out. The great american can’t handle taking care of their old sick parent. It’s too much on them. They have to go to the nursing home cause I gotta think about myself. You don’t have the family values and love we have for each other. That is why you sit there with hate and evil in your heart. For all of you that think Latinos don’t contribute to this country. We work every job that is possible for us nothing is impossible. Even without a word of English. SPell it ! WORK! we work our asses off. Sad to say that the Americans can’t say the same. You compain cause u gotta sit on your fat ass in front of a computer. You still complain and your miserable with your life. Kelly take off your mask and speak your mind in public. I bet you wouldn’t ! You coward!
July 11th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
If you don’t like “mexicans” I am sorry you probably meant latinos but instead of going to college and get a degree, you all are getting you education in front of a tv. or a radio…How do I know? you all racist repit the same sentences that the talk show repit…LOL…in a few years our children will be old enough to vote and go to college and then we will see who is the inferior race.
July 11th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
pardon me. i have a degree, probaby better than yours from a better school than yours. Learn how to speak english and spell.
July 11th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
and why do people get offended when you say mexicans. I don’t care when people care me an “American”…boohoo
July 11th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
I agree 100% with Jazzie!!!! I could not have said it any better! I too live in little Mexico (Manassas) and I can say that unless you live with this illegal alien problem day in and day out - you have NO CLUE! Most of the pro-illegal people have no idea what it’s like having neighbors who cram 18 to 20 people in a house with 6 to 7 trucks parked outside - some on the lawn. They are bringing our property values down, causing our schools to be “dumbed” down in order to meet the No Child Left Behind act; causing our heath care costs to sky rocket and I could go on and on and on! The illegals in Manassas add nothing to our community and take everything from our community - free of charge. The argument that they contribute financially to our community is a JOKE! Most, if not all of the money they earn gets sent back to Mexico or El Salvador. Watch out America, soon they will be the new USA and we will be the third world country they fled. They don’t even attempt to learn the English lanquage and they have become very arrogant and have an “in your face” attitude!
God bless John Stirrup and hip-hip-hooray that the resolution passed! It’s about time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To all of you illegals out there - GO HOME! Amnistia, NO! Deportacion, Si!
July 11th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
P.S. Kelly and ToniK - I agree 100% with you two as well! Well written, you two hit the nail on the head!
July 11th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Illegal, Illegal, Illegal… YES they understand what it means, difference THEY DO NOT CARE! What does it take for people to get IT! THEY ARE ILLEGALS! We have laws, abide by the laws. Lived in PWC for 35 years. I was ready to get out then this came … HURAY PWC! My love for diversity ended (among other reasons) when last summer I could not get home on my usual route when picketing was taking place down a major artery in PWC and all I could see were foreign flags of hispanic origin. NO, not one American flag was present and not one police officer to stop the ILLEGAL picketing during rush hour traffic … against traffic … and in the middle of the road. Economy, racial profiling, yadayadade, these nay sayers are making a profit off of the “slaves”. My x-husband is in contracting, dam good one at that, refuses to hire illegals and pays the consequences in the end, he will not pay “under the table wages” and refuses to pay less than what a good laborer deserves. My neighborhood (in the last five years) has become 70% hispanic. My vehicle parking sticker has been stolen 5 times… and there is nothing more warming to return home from work and see a filthy truck unloading 15 hispanics carrying beer (which their trash litters the yards the next day)and unloading 5 more mattress’hauling into a 3 BR townhouse, to only walk over and get into their high priced brand new vehicles. Jealous, trust me I am not, I am proud of how hard I work, I am proud to say I live within my means and pay my bills and my taxes, I am proud of being an American. I only wish the same pride could be found within the illegals… and it can’t and will never be found… WHY? BECAUSE THEY ARE LAW BREAKING ILLEGALS!
July 11th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
Question… why do so many OTHER cultures here in PWC have such a love and desire to be American citizens, learn English, and follow the laws of this country? Why does the “Latino” community excuse me “illegal Latino” community feel the “right” or have these entitlement issues as they do?
Being behind the scenes in issues of incarceration I hear the same old sob story, it’s like a broken record. I know what they are going to say in defense before they open their mouth. What is the pride in being an illegal? What is the accomplishment? When you are watching the criminals on the evening news do you shake your head at little Maria and say Oh … that is terrible or does little Maria look at you and say hey you break the law every day we are just like them? Or do you even watch the American evening news?
July 11th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
To all those that think that they are better or more then Hispanic people you must really think that you are something special (get a clue) because your NOT. Hispanic do more to help this county then you’ll ever do … who do you see cleaning your house, cutting the grass, building the roof you live under, doing your yard work, fixing thing when you perfect Americans brake it. And ill tell you why you don’t like them its cause your jealous at the fact that they are succeeding here and you wanted them to fail. And Jazzie you are talking about paying for them and their children because they are the only people that can break the law right? And only they can have babies right …well your wrong because just today I saw two little white girls pregnant walking in the street maybe 13 or 14 of age. They work and pay to be here while you’re probably a stay at home mom. This is one of the most racist thing i have seen yet and while you are in your perfect little office with your tie and suit with your feet up while they are actually work in dirt and roads to be where they are now and you think that a law is going to stop them is just going to cause a bigger problem. They get offended when you call them Mexican because you act like they are the only Hispanic race and you call them ignorant while your not far from it because you think that only Mexicans are Hispanic and your also ignorant because you think that illegal immigrants are only Hispanic what ever happened to Asians, Chinese, African, Italians ect. You only point fingers at Hispanics what ever happened to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protecting individuals against employment discrimination on the bases of race and color, as well as national origin, sex, and religion. And you call America land of the free. You Americans call them immigrants look well into your background and find that you are one as well because the first people here were American Indians. Well you so called Americans are the hypocrite because you go to there restaurant and eat they’re burritos, tacos, nachos, and rice ect. If you don’t like then so much then why don’t YOU and YOUR FAMILY move to a red neck place or a place with no Hispanic. I DARE YOU. And you will then find out how it is to live without them. GOOD LUCK ON THAT!!!
I am saying all this because I am 15 and I do live in p.w.c and I am a citizen and I am a child of HISPANIC AND YOU AN AMERICAN WELL NEVER BE BETTER OR LESS THEN ME.
July 12th, 2007 at 12:53 am
Cinthia -
Nice try - but I won’t be shedding any tears for you.
I cannot even reply to your comments because it is obvious that you are oblivious to the truth. You have been fed a pack of lies. Read U.S. news and watch the U.S. TV. Stop listening and watching your Latino stations.
Become informed before you try to tell citizens of this country that we would be LOST without you. We have survived MANY years without you. Get it?
July 12th, 2007 at 8:57 am
haha ok so your going to tell me that everything i know is because i listen to my latino stations or my tv station. well think aging because i dont listen to them i think for myself. but everyone has freedom of speech so you say all you want to say because all this hate aginst us is just making you look bad. but can you answer me why you think your so much better that you deserve to be here more than us? or why do you think we are so different from each other? because last time i check we both had the same body type? but i geuss not everyone was taught correctly…now im not even going to ask you if you GET IT because YOU NEVER WILL.
July 12th, 2007 at 10:21 am
Great Sasha you have a degree…ehhhh ehhhh…I am sorry I thougth all racists were ignorants I made a mistake with you…I apologize…I don’t know how to spell English It is’nt my first language, but I must be doing pretty good, since somebody with a degree pays atention of what an “mexican” like me has to say…Good for you.
July 12th, 2007 at 10:32 am
“huh huh i went to a better school than yours huh huh im an american and you are not huh huh im an ignorant and my name is SASHA”, what are you five? and learn how to spell!!!!
July 12th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
I urge anyone opposed to the illegal alien invasion occurring in our country to visit http://flagstatements.com
It’s time to make a statement!
July 12th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Many of us know our heritage… mine italian mother and YES a German father… and your point is? THEY ARE citizens. My father a retired Civil Service man has done right by this country, family and the laws of the USA, and is an American Citizen. Mother a retired army flight nurse and an American citizen. Can the Latino ILLEGAL immigrants fight for this country? Would you if you could? I welcome LEGAL immigrants, lose the preaching of our Contitution, Laws. Quit twisting it around to suit your IllEGAL status. Believe me I will be the first to jump up and scream foul towards losers of all races. Dead beats are dead beats what ever race they may be However… the issue is ILLEGAL immigrants of epic proportion using and abusing the services and LYING to get them. Proof is in the DATA. Did you know much of these statistics are available to the public to review in your own town? Check it out, you will be overwhelmed!
July 12th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Jesse:
Trust me hombre, WE could care less. But somehow you have access to OUR internet. Do you guys even have electricity where you’re from, much less computers? And Jesse, have a little trust in me again will you…It will be over our cold dead bodies before your SO-CALLED LEGAL children have any appreciable effect on ANYTHING in THIS country. They will go south of the border, and help you and your kind climb out of your thrid world status and join the rest of us. And do tell all 200,000 of your sblings and cousins that they should take a note from welfare reform, we won’t tolerate this anchor baby crap much longer. But keep it up hombre…please keep it up. Before you know it we will all be members of the Minute Men, then we will stop you at the border, as we should, and we’ll stop you THE HARD WAY!!!
July 12th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Instead of making flags and clips and all that noncens,
Why don’t you just make your self the KKKs hats IDIOTS Grow up racists find somenthing better to do…
God made us all Equal there’s no difference between any one but just different colors, this Country does not belong to any one but ( GOD ) do you guys know that stupids?
you guys will be the first to go to HELL!!!
July 12th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
You racists could’n against african americans, your ancestors killed millions of Jewish people but couldn’t distroyed them, you won’t get rid of Latinos, you don’t care if we are legal or not you just can’t live with others that aren’t like you. Que vivan los minute man!!!!!! I love them because they love their country…no so much that will make them enroll to the real army that fights for our freedom overseas where the real enemy is. Yes!! you should be a Minute Man Kelly you fit right in. You have the loser profile, And for your information I don’t know the border I came Legal and I waited years for coming to the States. I don’t agree with ilegal emigration but I don’t agree with you either. You think you are better than the illegal emigrants?…You hate people,…You hate children… You disrespect others opinions, You support Minute Man who operate illegal as well, you support an Inconsitutional Law, You twist the truth. come on!!! quit trying to be the Super American, but if you want…fight cancer, fight against the war, do something good for someone, then you can say you are better than them.
July 12th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
E. White (and I don’t believe for a moment that is your real name). Nice try.
Those in the wrong usually turn everything into a “race” issue because they can’t think of an intelligent rebuttle, so they pull out the race card.
When someone does something illegal - we call them criminals. And I don’t think that God looks kindly on them -so perhaps they will be the first to go straight to hell.
YOU can pay for the free lunches for these illegals in our schools and you can pay their taxes…..If you are so for the illegal aliens, YOU pull out your wallet and start paying for them, because we are done!
I would be my bottom dollar that you are an illegal…therefore, you are a criminal.
July 12th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
Jesus when he was a baby he scaped to Egipt, runing away from those who wanted it to kill him, he emigrated and probably didn’t apply for a green card, he was different than the egipcians, dress diferent, spoke different, he would’ve preffered to be in his own country but sometimes you have no choice, so tell me Mrs. “MOM” what would you call him…criminal? or how would you call his parents that had the courage to saved his life? Criminals…God Owns everything and let us use it. some day we all be gone and what are we going to take with us?…
July 12th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Please do not pretend to be a Christian - it is obvious that you are not.
You are a racist and you hate Americans so please go back to your country and get mad at your President for the shambles your country is in - and for the lack of pay and lack of jobs.
You are too ignorant to continue this conversation with so just go home.
July 12th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
To Jessie. It seems to me that perhaps you have been in this country for long while, but the one thing you did NOT take advantage of was our eductional system. We have laws in this country to keep life checked and balanced for it’s citizens. This is not about race. It’s about a group of individuals who do not want to assimilate with These United States and they don’t even try. Most Koreans,India(n), Chinese make sure their children know English and the alphabet by kindergarten. Many in the Hispanic community depend on the schools to teach them. Look at any demographics, most SOL scores go down in highly populated Hispanic communities. It certainly did in mine.
to E White-render unto Ceasar that which is Ceasar’s and to God-that which is God’s. We have a seperation of Church and State for a very good reason. It’s not about human rights-otherwise, Mexicans would be fighting like hell for theirs in Mexico. Our young men and women die every day for human rights all over this earth, so please, those who equate Americans against illegal immigration as racist and anti humanitarian, take a visit to Arlington National Cemetary.
July 13th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
I agree completely with MO! I grew up and am still living in Northern VA. Before all of this drama started about the illegal immigrations bills.. I experienced hate and racism from my peers while in school. Just an example..I am a white-American citizen, one of two in my fifth grade class (there were only 2 different classes at the school and there were about 40 kids in my class). It was illegal immigrants, with fake ss numbers, and fake green cards that always hated me because of my skin color. I heard repeatedly over and over, I hate this country, I hate white people, you are trailor trash, you’re a redneck, why are white people this way or that way…blah blah.. Guess what? Today, I’m hearing the same crap!!!! From grown up racist illegals! I am a 24 year old SINGLE mother, working 45 hrs a week, making the absolute minimum, AND GOING TO COLLEGE FULL TIME. And I don’t work hard enough for my family? I do not receive child support, NOR DO I RECEIVE WIC, FOOD STAMPS, CHILD CARE HELP, REDUCED HEALTH INSURANCE.. When I stood in a two hour line in Alexandria, VA while I was pregnant, to get on a list for public housing assistance, TWO OF MY BLACK FRIENDS WERE CALLED AS BEING ELLIDGIBLE BEFORE ME AND THEY WERE MARYLAND RESIDENTS WITH NO CHILDREN!!! No one can sit here and tell me that my white- American butt sits around in front of a computer screen all day just complaining. I wish I could do manual labor somewhere and bring home $1000 (tax free) a week like some illegals that I know. And while my undocumented salary is being paid, I wish I could live in subsidized housing, get free food, and free child care! Wouldn’t that just be so nice? Question for the people who support illegals: Can I go to El Salvador (legaly OR illegaly) and get free rent, food, health insurance, and education - because it’s the humane thing to do? GIVE ME A BREAK! I can’t even afford to put gas in my car right now, and you say you are underpriviledged and deserve to be taken care of? My sons father was born in Nicaragua, but has legal status, so don’t sit here and call me a racist! My immigrant ancestors came here legally, or AT LEAST OBTAINED LEGAL STATUS AFTER THEY GOT HERE, so your family should too. If my tax dollars aren’t helping me out, why-t-f should they be helping you? I have no problem with people coming here for a better life, it’s the people taking a free ride that piss me off. It’s the unemployed MS-13 members standing in groups on the corners of the streets, it’s the girl down the street who is addicted to cocaine, doesn’t work, and gets free child care while she sits at home and gets high everyday… It’s the 50 year old woman that has been here for 30 years illegaly that refuses to learn English because she hates white people… It’s the guy across the street yelling and whistling at me, trying to approach me while my son is in my arms, who is OLD ENOUGH TO BE MY GRANDFATHER. It’s the drunk illegal immigrant (with his wife and daughter in the car) that rear-ended me, totalled my car, and left his illegal car at the scene and took off on foot! I don’t care what color you are, if you can’t get legal residency or citizenship, you need to go home, and try to come back the right way. By the way, white people, asian people, black people, arabic people…we all have jobs in landscaping, construction, house cleaning, and McDonalds, so I guess we are all slaves?
July 13th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Very well said, Shelly, and very sad. People need to read your story - it says it all. If I were you, I would submit your story to a paper - as an editorial.
Your story needs to be read by all of the illegals out there (oops - I forgot - they can’t read or speak our lanquage)!
Hang in there - with the PWC resolution, help is on the way!
Everyone needs to join Help Save Manassas - they are doing more for our area on helping to crack down on illegals.
Their website is helpsavemanassas.org.
July 14th, 2007 at 12:10 am
to everyone… i dont care if your black white indian hispanic afican asian chinese. why are you guys fighting? we are all humans. we all want the same thing? yea some people have problems some more then others but at the end we will only have each other. instead of worrying about whos doin what or who lives next door leave them alone. and worry about why your child got a “f” in class or why you child is out so late and what are they doing while your not watching. so what im say is let people live there lifes and you life yours because fighting online or say mean or unneeded comments to one or another isnt going to change the fact the what is happening will keep happening. people will allways hate someone… you want to know why.because they can and nothing you do or say will change that. life is too short to be living the way you are. take it from someone who knows. i am a grown woman and
i would hate to see history repeat its self.
July 15th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
My grandmother over stay her visa 40 years ago. She worked hard all her live. She is my hero!
She eventually become legal, it was much esier those days. She does recall being scare during the raid and not sleeping well or eating well becouse of it. On the long run all that does not start well can with Gods help end well.
People are not as kind now and the laws are not as just. She is now a naturalize citizen owns property and for 84 she looks and feels well. She has 4 children, 12 grandchildren and 10 greatgrandchildren. She come and over stay her visa some 40 year ago. God bless America!
July 15th, 2007 at 10:01 pm
My grandmother over stay her visa 40 years ago. She worked hard all her life. She is my hero!
She eventually become legal, it was much esier those days. She does recall being scare during the raid and not sleeping well or eating well becouse of the raids. On the long run all that does not start well can with Gods help end well.
People are not as kind now and the laws are not as just. She is now a naturalize citizen owns property and for 84 she looks and feels well. She has 4 children, 12 grandchildren and 10 greatgrandchildren. She come and over stay her visa some 40 year ago. God bless America!
July 18th, 2007 at 10:56 am
from a purely economical stance, won’t denying illegal immigrants public services cost more than providing them?
example: say you want a library card but forgot your ID. in the current system they’ll give you one, but leave a notice in the computer saying that the next time you want to use it you must show ID. under the new law such forgiveness will be sacrificed and perfectly legal citizens will be forced to carry documentation showing such status at all times, or be denied service.
although it looks good on paper, this new law will just bring loads of red tape to our already inefficient public systems, costing all of us time and money.
July 19th, 2007 at 10:42 am
Liz, your right but it will make people like Kelly, Jazzie, and mom against illegals shut the hell up.
I wonder though, if this works, can we get a law made up that entitles us to deport the little ghetto kids in my neighborhood to South East DC? That would really bring up my property value and I wouldnt have to worry about my car being “tagged” or the smell of marijuana at night.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:16 am
Sorry Kelly, I dont believe you have any degrees. If you truly were an intellect as you are trying to perceive yourself to be, you would talk about the political and economical effects this new plan will have. Not about whether or not Hispanics bathe or how many live in one house. For someone with “two degrees” you completely missed the point of my comment. I will dumb it down for you.
1.) Hispanics are close, so they will do anything for their families. This was not condoning illegal immigration, just stating why I understand them.
2.) I was born here. If I do walk down the street with an American flag I do not have to worry about buses ready to deport. Where are they going to take me? Down the street?
3.) The comparison of Southern Virginians and illegal immigrants was meant to sound as ignorant and uneducated as your statement about Hispanics.
4.) You people are attacking their persons, not the real issue at hand. The issue is about illegal immigrants over populating our communities and using our resources without paying taxes. Instead you bicker about language and lifestyle.
And bed bugs in a 5 start hotel???? Come on, you know they were on your person because of your own dirtiness. I highly doubt illegals are staying in 5 star hotels. If you meant to say they work there, they don’t. Hotels do not hire illegals, they hire documented workers so it sounds like your just attacking Hispanics in general. I hate playing the race card and I hate when people whip it out, but in your case, I think you do have something against Hispanics. You stereotyped me even when I told you I was born here, have never left this country and my parents came here LEGALLY. Bottom line, your and idiot. Hispanics are here to stay so get over it.
July 19th, 2007 at 11:21 am
Liz, you are right. The point of this new bill is to get people like Jazzie, Kelly, and mom agaist illegals to shut up.
If this new plan works, can we get a bill that will deport little ghetto kids to South East DC? That would really bring up my property value and I wouldnt have to worry about my car being vandalized or the smell of marijuana coming from the playground at night.
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:57 pm
Hey,
Did anybody catch the new news about the filthy, diease causing water polluting our shores thanks to the RAW sewage coming from their little slice of hell? OK, one of you nay-sayers belly-up-to-the-bar (oh, we know you know how) and explain why we NOW need to incur the responsibility for you people in your own country, to keep ours as clean as we can.
What YOU DON’T GET, is that we have enough problems of our own, (including our “little getto kids”, who now have to try to learn to speak gibberish just to warrant fair attention from their NOW COMPLETELY overworked and underpaid teachers, and can forget about getting a youth job at a fast food resturant like their parents before them, thanks to Carmalita, her drunk husband and their 12 anchor babies) without the addition of welfare leeches, and grown men who can’t seem to help sh—ing in the street like animals.
You’re not anywhere to stay because NO ONE WANTS YOU, NOT EVEN YOUR OWN PRESIDENTE, and that’s what i’m sure keeps you up at night. That and the damn bed bugs!!!
July 23rd, 2007 at 5:12 pm
OH, and Lena,
1) You do so lie…if they were so legal, they wouldn’t have to live like a den of mice. They would have single family homes like WE all strive for. Obtained without the usage of a DEAD AMERICANS ID!!!
2) Somehow you don’t strike me as the type to carry OUR flag, legal or otherwise. I meen, yours stands for so much good, and wonderful ethics right, BE PROUD.
3) I would go into how completely dumb it sounds to call someone ignorant, in their country, when you do even have enough pride and sence of selfworth to learn your hosts language. I meen after all we do pay for your childrens textbooks!!
4) Play the race card Doll, all day and all night. Just play it in your own damn country.
July 24th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
HEY! GREAT COMMENTS, EXCEPT FOR THOSE OF YOU ARE FOR ILLEGALS. HERE’S SOMETHING I DIDN’T SEE. MY FAMILY HAS BEEN IN U.S. FOR ALMOST 200YRS. SO WHY IS IT THAT EVERY TIME I CALL ANY COMPANY, DOCTORS, STORES, PHONE CO. ETC. AN AUTOMATED VOICE SAY’S “PRESS #1 FOR ENGLISH” I HAVE TO TAKE THE PHONE AWAY FROM MY EAR, LOCATE #1 AND PRESS IT. WHAT A HASSELL.WE’RE CATERING TO THEM. IT SHOULD SAY, IF YOU DON’T ENGLISH PRESS #1. BUT OF COURSE THIS WOULD BE RACISM. LIKE DICE CLAY SAID 20YRS AGO,”WE SHOULD HAVE SIGNS AT THE AIRPORTS, IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE LANGUAGE GET THE #$#* OUT OF THE COUNTRY
August 28th, 2007 at 8:38 am
Look, it’s simple. If they are in this country illegally, they should be jailed and deported. No questions asked, no excuses. It is against the laws of this country, it is not ambiguous. I applaud Prince William County for finally getting something right. I admonish each and everyone of you who are not willing to step up and do the right thing simply because it may be an arduous or unpleasant task.
I welcome anyone who comes to this country legally and is working to make a better life for themselves and benefits this country. Not one, not a single illegal immigrant anywhere ever came here with the intent of improving this country. As long as they are getting paid that is all that matters. I love my country, I have fought for it, physically not just in words and I will not see it handed over to those who are unworthy.
As far as the labor force shutting down without illegal aliens - hogwash. Things may be more expensive initially but so what, if I pay $2.50 for a gallon of gas to benefit the Arab nations, I can pay $7.00 for my McDonalds combo number one to benefit my own. Things that need to be done will be done, THAT is the American way. To all those who are willing to cowtow to the illegals, especially when it is simply to increase the number of voters for your own personal gain - shame on you.
August 28th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
It is not about race. It is about following the laws of this country. Many people from any given country get deported everyday (for example the 19 year old german girl that just finished college but because she was 19 she could not join her family here. She was escorted by INS agents through he airport to be sure she got out) People need to follow the laws. Crying racial injustice is just a ploy. Just because dishonest businesses are also breaking the laws to get these people into the country does not make it right.
When I am working a full time job everyday, paying taxes, and can barely afford health insurance or my car, it just does not seem right to see people sneek into the country get free health care, food stamps, wear better clothes and drive a better car than I do, one might see the true injustice.
In a raid at Dulles airport 25% of the illegals workers removed were criminals from their country. We do not document these people. It is not all innocent fun of getting cheap labor and getting over on the tax payers/government. There is human smuggling, child prositution, drugs and terrorist coming in the wheat trucks also. We need to secure the border and enforce our laws to protect what will hopefully remain the best country in the world.
There are many ways to come here legally. My family of Irish descent entered the country and had to serve in the armed forces to become citizens. Each generation has continued to serve in the military since then. Please, if you care for this country become a citizen and work to enrich what makes our country great. We do not need people just here to take whatever they can get with out paying into the benefits the government provides (education, health care, elderly care, military protection, taxes to pay public service salaries…). Remember freedom is not free.