Prince William County (Map, News) - Pressure is growing on Prince William County supervisors to reconsider the controversial illegal-immigration crackdown the Police Department launched last month.

Saying the financial and public relations costs of the landmark program have been much larger than anticipated, two supervisors told business leaders Friday that the county must rework the policy to improve the community's image.

"The illegal-immigration policy is an 800-pound gorilla that is following us around in everything we do," Supervisor Frank Principi, D-Woodbridge, said. "It's time to put the gorilla back in the cage."

Officers checked the legal status of 89 people in the first month of the crackdown, arresting 41. Police Chief Charlie Deane said most of the illegal immigrants arrested would have been arrested anyway.

Citing that information, Principi and fellow Supervisor Martin Nohe, R-Coles, said it is worth revisiting the policy. Nohe called on the county to "reclaim the mantle as a diverse, dynamic and thriving community."

Their comments to the Greater Prince William Manassas Chamber of Commerce surprised County Chairman Corey Stewart, a champion of the plan.

"To repeal or scale back now would diminish a program that has been a stunning success," said Stewart, who pushed the policy the policy directing police officers to check the U.S. residency status of traffic violators and minor criminals. "It might be an 800-pound gorilla, but it's a good gorilla, it's working. It's making the community safer and at a modest cost."

Three other supervisors at the meeting said they expect the future of the immigration crackdown will be a major feature in the upcoming budget negotiations as the county faces a $19 million deficit and a proposal to raise taxed 27 percent.

"Until this morning, I was not aware there was a movement afoot to rescind the resolution," said John Jenkins, D-Neabsco, who continues to support the policy.

The proposal has doubled in next year's budget from $2.8 million in October to $6.1 million now, including more than $3 million to install cameras in police cars to guard against future lawsuits.

dgenz@dcexaminer.com