Poll: Should State Police be Allowed to Check Immigration Status?
Lorton-area Delegate Dave Albo is sponsoring a bill in the Virginia House of Delegates on the issue.
Should Virginia State Police be able to "perform federal immigration law-enforcement functions" in the Commonwealth?
Northern Virginia Del. Dave Albo's (R-42) House Bill 1001, which has passed in the House, would enter the state into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Following an arrest, state police officers would be able to check a suspect's immigration status.
Virginia isn't the only state to consider such a measure. A federal appeals court in Georgia tomorrow is hearing arguments related to immigration-checking laws in Georgia and Alabama. Central questions in those cases relate to whether a state is allowed to make such laws, or if those immigration is an area reserved for federal enforcement.
Elliott Smythe
6:45 pm on Wednesday, February 29, 2012
This poll is a wash. Of course they should be allowed to do that. First, do we want illegal immigrants here when there are plenty of people trying to get in, legally? Second, interesting how they put a comment on the "no" option, that says "these are federal responsibilities". As if we should trust the Feds to do their job when they have not yet? And what about a comment next to the 'yes' button that says, 'yes they should be allowed to uphold the law.' I guess they left that out...
Elliott Smythe
6:46 pm on Wednesday, February 29, 2012
wash. wrong term. blowout. sorry.
James Cullum
12:37 am on Thursday, March 1, 2012
Thanks for your thoughts, Elliot! So, do you think Virginia State Police should go beyond this measure to check immigration status - while pulled over for speeding, for instance? What line should be drawn?
Elliott Smythe
12:55 am on Thursday, March 1, 2012
James, I think that's an easy one. No, checking while pulling over leads to too many possibilities of charges of discrimination. While I trust most of our law enforcement officers, and respect them, and believe most of them would never waste their time with unnecessary investigations, it would open them up to accusations, whether they are valid or not. An arrest, however, would be different. I can't find anything wrong with the state's law enforcement being able to determine if an arrested person is legally in the country or not. Who knows, it might save a life.. doesn't really seem like a slippery slope kind of issue to me.
Kenny Head
7:34 am on Thursday, March 1, 2012
Yes, James question is an easy one. But the correct answer should be YES!! If an officer can check to see if you are in this country illegally during a traffic stop, then by all means do it. If you are here illegally then you are breaking the law and that makes you a crimnal.
James Cullum
2:47 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
Kenny and Elliot: Do you think the federal government should subsidize the Commonwealth for this additional duty?
Elliott Smythe
5:46 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
Maybe only if they take it out of their own (the fed's) funding. They are obviously not doing the job. If they de-fund their own program a bit and fund departments that will actually do something, then it would make sense. If the economy improves in the next year, illegals are going to start pouring in again. So many have left because of the lack of work. But they will go where the jobs are. I would rather them go to MD than to VA. I don't know that Va is asking for money, are they?
Kenny Head
6:21 am on Friday, March 2, 2012
You know it is a real shame when our law enforcement let it be state or federal can not enforce the law because of lack of funding. If there is a data base avaiable it should be shared with all law enforcement. All of our brilliant law makers on Capital Hill and at each state Capital should be able to figure this out!! Shouldn't they?