The chairman of Prince William County’s Board of Supervisors blasted officials in Alexandria and other localities after the city approved a resolution reassuring immigrants their legal status won’t be checked unless required by state or federal law.

“Our international diversity has made and continues to make Alexandria and the United States stronger and more economically successful,” Alexandria’s resolution says. “Intolerance and fear lead to discrimination and discord, both of which threaten the health and safety of our community.”

Alexandria’s six city council members, all Democrats, passed the resolution unanimously Tuesday night. The Arlington County board unanimously passed a similar resolution in September.

“This is the problem with ultra-liberal jurisdictions. They’re letting the rhetoric get in the way of protecting the public,” said Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.

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Immigrants who enter the country illegally have already broken one law and cannot be expected to obey others, said Stewart, a Republican.

The Prince William and Loudoun county boards of supervisors passed resolutions aimed at restricting undocumented immigrants’ access to county services. After learning federal law prevented them from restricting many of the services, Loudoun officials backed off. Prince William supervisors are expected to vote next week on the $14 million the police department has estimated it needs to check the immigration status of everyone it arrests.

“We thought given the environment in which immigrants feel rejected ... potentially under persecution ... it was important we re-emphasize our Arlington values,” County Board Vice Chairman Walter Tejada said. Tejada emigrated from El Salvador when he was 13.

Alexandria’s City Council passed its resolution to reassure immigrant residents they are still eligible for city services, Mayor Bill Euille said.

“We’re not opening the floodgates inviting illegal immigrants to come. It’s about taking care of the folks already here,” he said.

Cutting off services hurts immigrants’ children the most, and they aren’t responsible for how they entered the county, Euille added.

“I can’t understand why Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Montgomery County and the District won’t protect their residents,” Stewart said. “The only thing I can hope is that illegal aliens get the message and move north.”

mhegstad@dcexaminer.com