Virginia Politics and Illegal Immigrants: Chapter 2
Republican gubernatorial nominee Jerry Kilgore lobbed a hot potato into the statewide campaign last week by firmly objecting to a proposed taxpayer-supported day-laborer pavilion in Herndon for largely Latino workers. He said that such a taxpayer offering would undermine the rule of law and "denigrates" citizens who immigrated to the country legally.
Kilgore's comments immediately led his opponents to say that he was charging up his base at the expense of hardworking men and women: "It's a sound-bite, hot-button wedge issue," said Russ Potts, the race's independent candidate.
Well, just two days later Del. David B. Albo (R-Fairfax), who appears to be in a tough fight for his House seat against political newcomer Greg Werkheiser, ratcheted up the rhetoric on the issue when he told CNN that: "Jerry Kilgore and myself believe we should be taking a more aggressive role in kicking them out of the country."
And apparently Albo is doing his part to try to make it happen. He plans to introduce legislation in the General Assembly that will give local police officers the authority to detain people for immigration violations after they have been arrested for another crime -- known as a "secondary offense."
Albo's comments will likely add another heated issue into a House campaign that has already become the year's most expensive delegate race. Both candidates have raised well over $200,000 each and Democrats are licking their chops, hoping they can pull off a stunning upset.
The issue of immigration is a particularly interesting one in Albo's 42nd House District, which has a steadily growing number of Latinos, particularly on the Route 1 corridor.
When asked about the comments, Werkheiser said: "Who is them? Yes, we have an immigration problem but it is the role of the federal government" to handle it. "Posturing at the state level for political gain does nothing to solve the problem." He also suggested that Albo might see a backlash from the growing Latino community in the district.
But Albo said he's heard from people that there's lots of frustration in his district, even from legal immigrants.
"After knocking on enough doors and talking to enough legal immigrants I'm not concerned about a backlash of legal immigrants," he said in an interview. "All these people had to go through such a hassle to get here."
By Chris Jenkins |
August 12, 2005; 4:25 PM ET
| Category:
Republicans
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Posted by: Mark L. Itzkoff | August 23, 2005 10:42 AM
Dave Albo's comments show why he is wrong for this position. Virginia can not force the Federal Government to control our borders. By closing the day laborer site, Kilgor and Albo are making our Commonwealth less inclusive. And in the end, when workers can't support themselves or their families, the costs to Virginia will be much greater.
Posted by: Mark L. Itzkoff | August 23, 2005 10:44 AM
I just watched Jeff Franklin (R-VA 52nd)get off CNN wondering aloud why Gov. Warner was "playing partisan politics" with the issue of illegal immigration.
He's gotta be kidding.
Kilgore injected himself into this local issue, not Lt. Governor Kaine.
Politicians from the right are the ones pointing the fingers, essentially saying "look! Democrats love illegal immigrants! And they want to give them a free ride on the tax dollars of "real" Virginians (whatever the hell that means) like YOU!"
Even if Jerry Kilgore were crowned Emporer of Virginia he couldn't stop illegal immigration. Is he proposing we close the boarder with West Virginia? Put checkpoints on I-95 near Emporia?
This is a FEDERAL issue.
Supporting a practical solution for an obvious problem isn't equivalent to inviting freeloaders to feast at the hands of the hard working, tax paying members of the Commonwealth.
The right is making this a state issue when it can't be one, and we should be insulted as voters if they think they can point to a federal issue and get us to change our votes for a Governor who wouldn't be able to effect it either way.
Why are Republicans so quick to scream "Founding Fathers!" and "Ideals this country was based on!", yet always seem to be deaf to "bring me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free."
Posted by: William Edwards | August 24, 2005 07:45 PM
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Dave Albo's comments show why he is wrong for this position. Virginia can not force the Federal Government to control our borders. By closing the day laborer site, Kilgor and Albo are making our Commonwealth less inclusive. And in the end, when workers can't support themselves or their families, the costs to Virginia will be much greater.