Friday, May 28, 2010

Virginia's illegal immigrants law almost identical to Arizona SB 1070

Virginia's illegal immigrants law almost identical to Arizona SB 1070

Three year old law in Virginia targets illegal immigrants much like Arizona's SB 1070

A Prince William County police officer runs a record check of a suspect. Source: PWCPD Prince William County, Virginia. Source: Wikipedia

Dan Marries
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA (KOLD) - For the last three years, a county in Virginia has remained under the radar in the immigration debate even though it has a law almost identical to Arizona's immigration law.

The ordinance in Prince William County was passed in 2007. It initially required police to check the status of detainees they suspected of being undocumented immigrants but one year later it was revised.

Officers now question all criminal suspects about their immigration status once an arrest is made.

In 2008, the University of Virginia conducted a survey to see what effects, if any, the Prince William County law had. It concluded initial fears about racial profiling did not happen.

It also show that schools saw a drop in English as a second language enrollment. There was also a drop in uninsured mothers giving birth and individuals turned over to immigration and customs enforcement.

by Dan Marries

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