Prince William orders audit into police enforcement of immigration law
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Version 0 of 1. Prince William County officials Monday announced an audit into whether local police are enforcing a controversial law meant to crack down on illegal immigration in the Northern Virginia community. In a press release, county officials said the board of supervisors ordered the audit during a special meeting held over the weekend. They were responding to an ABC television news report last week that listed Prince William County as among a number of local jurisdictions that do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities on deportation orders or civil warrants whenever someone is arrested for an unrelated violation. ““In 2007 and 2008, Prince William County implemented what was considered one of the toughest enforcement policies in the nation with regard to illegal immigration reporting,” said board of supervisors chairman Corey A. Stewart in the press release. [Family tragedy in 2008 colors race for chairman in Prince William] “It is the Board’s intent through this directive to make certain this model is being properly implemented here in Prince William County,” Stewart said. The county’s immigration law made national headlines when it was passed, generating protests from immigrant advocates who argued that it opened the door to ethnic profiling. Earlier this month, immigrant groups tapped into resentment over the law in the county’s growing Latino community in an unsuccessful effort to oust Stewart. Stewart, first elected in 2006, won another term with 57 percent of the vote. |