Today’s page A1 story in the WashPo, “Fear Seizes Pr. William Immigrants — Legal and Not” is like reading something from Bizarro World. First, legal immigrants have nothing to fear. They are legal. Second, some of those who are “Not” legal also seem to be not afraid since they are giving their names and other identifying details in this very article.
That said, it is evident that the anti-illegal alien resolution is working already.
Police and other county agencies have yet to establish procedures for the stepped-up enforcement, but the practical impact was in plain view last week along Route 1 in Woodbridge, a usually busy commercial strip lined with Hispanic-owned businesses.
Markets and restaurants were nearly empty, with slow sales reported at almost a dozen shops and restaurants. “What’s going on?” wondered one manager of a Popeye’s who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Why is it so slow?”
A nearby KFC popular with Hispanics was nearly deserted at lunchtime. Meanwhile, business was booming at Pizza Hut, where the manager reported a spike in home delivery calls.
No one is sure how many illegal immigrants live in Prince William, Virginia’s second-most-populous county, or what would happen if many of them left. Thousands of migrants from Latin America — legal and illegal — have arrived in the past decade to fill a voracious demand for jobs in construction and other services, drawn by the county’s building boom and relatively low housing costs. Since 1996, the percentage of Hispanic students in the county’s school system has soared from 6.6 to 24.2 percent.
Simply amazing. Within a few days, it sounds as if Route 1 in Woodbridge has been transformed. I think that provides a pretty definitive answer as to how many of those people PWC residents have seen hanging out in front of the 7-11s and the Mexican restaurant there across from Marumsco Plaza are illegal — virtually all of them.
I get it that there is a need for workers. I’m as pro-business as anyone. But the answer is to increase the number of legal immigrants allowed into the U.S. and speed up the entire process, not turn a blind eye to our nation’s borders and allow chaos to reign.
Filed under: Immigration, Prince William County Politics
“the answer is to increase the number of legal immigrants allowed into the U.S. and speed up the entire process, not turn a blind eye to our nation’s borders and allow chaos to reign.”
And you cannot do that UNTIL and UNLESS you have good solid enforcement in place, enforcement that will crack down on those employers who hire illegal aliens as well as the illegal aliens themselves. SS sends out a regular report to all businesses that shows SS# that don’t “check” with names. A great place to start is businesses that have had a fair number of these year after year. This isn’t rocket science; it’s picking the low-hanging fruit. So why isn’t it done?
You want strong borders; but FAIL to look at the local schools who have hundreds of students that may or may not be attending classes. Sure its easily to pick on those individuals on the streets while others hide behind student visas – if we are going to push this issue lets push at ALL ends and not just those most convenient and visible to you and me.