Moving Forward in Prince William County

I shouldn't come as a surprise when government officials wring their hands over doing something you and I would consider simple common sense. Such is the case now that some logical procedures are creeping into the workings of the justice system in Prince William County, VA.

Five law enforcement agencies in and around Prince William County are seeking to join forces to combat illegal immigration with a proposal for federal training in deportation procedures that local officials said would be one of the first of its kind in the nation.

The multi-agency proposal comes as Republican leaders in the state legislature have announced a measure that would require city and county jails to check the immigration status of defendants in criminal cases.

The county must seek approval from the federal government to check the status of inmates and defendants going through the legal system. I would have thought this would be automatic, but that's just me thinking logically. What is truly ridiculous is the apprehension toward this initiative. Prince William Police Chief Charlie T. Deane was afraid the Latino population would react negatively if this was done, but has changed his mind when he got more political cover from the county supervisors. Why do the people in charge not consider that the citizens who are law abiding won't get riled up because officials are not doing all they should?

It's about time and I wish them all success but I know simple logic is no man's land for elected officials so I won't be holding my breath. Besides some nit wit judge will come along and toss the whole thing out on a whim before it's all over.

Hey, don't call me a cynic.






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Virginia, politics, Mexico, immigration