Dan Genz, The Examiner
2007-06-28 07:00:00.0
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Prince William County -

A Prince William County supervisor has proposed requiring the county to check a person’s immigration status before providing public services to residents or upon arresting suspects.

If approved at the July 10 board meeting, Supervisor John Stirrup’s measure would require county employees to ask all people whether they are in the country legally.

“The welcome mat for illegal immigrants has been pulled in Prince William County,” said Stirrup, R-Gainesville. “This is the first step in sending that message.”

Stirrup said his intention is to deny services to illegal immigrants.

The county’s rapid growth, changing demographics and increasing immigrant population has made reforms a hot-button local issue while Congress considers major changes nationwide.

“All officials, agencies, and personnel of the County shall fully comply with and … support the enforcement of federal law prohibiting the entry into, presence or residence in the United States of aliens in violation of federal immigration law,” Stirrup’s proposal says.

The Prince William County resolution states that a lack of county action has encouraged illegal immigration growth, taxing county resources and contributing to “lawlessness.”

“Illegal immigration may be encouraged by public agencies within the county by failing to verify immigration status as a condition of providing public services,” Stirrup’s resolution states.

Stirrup told The Examiner on Wednesday the resolution will serve as a “building block” for future proposals targeting residents and business owners who house and employ illegal immigrants in Prince William County.

The two Democrats on the board asked for more time to review the proposal before holding a vote next month.

Supervisor Hilda Barg, D-Woodbridge, is concerned the resolution would prevent a 5-year-old from getting school lunch and warned it could further overcrowd the county jail.

“There are a lot of unanswered questions on the resolution,” Barg said. “We cannot walk up and down the streets asking everybody you come to for your paperwork.”

dgenz@dcexaminer.com