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Immigrant advocates address new alliance
While a new coalition is advocating for the spread of tough local policies on illegal immigration, like those in Prince William County, immigrants rights groups say the state of that county is an example of why such policies don't work.
Ten grassroots anti-illegal -immigration groups recently joined forces to form the Capital Area Alliance Against Illegal Immigration.
The alliance plans to work toward consistent anti-illegal immigration policies across jurisdictions, thus eliminating perceived “sanctuary and catch-and-release policies” in the D.C. region, including Maryland and Virginia.
Greg Letiecq, executive director of Save The Old Dominion, is the Virginia spokesman for the regional alliance. According to him, the unified group will combine resources and jurisdictional awareness so, when issues cross political boundaries, "we are not powerless to continue addressing the issues.”
Edgar Aranda Yanoc, a local community organizer with the Legal Aid Justice Center's Immigrant Advocacy Program, said that the Alliance seems to want to spread the types of policies already in place in Prince William County, to the entire metropolitan area.
“Using the situation in Prince William as an example for Fairfax County, Arlington County, D.C. and Maryland is not a good idea,” he said. “People are leaving Prince William County and the business community there is in bad shape; and we certainly don't want that situation in our communities.”
According to Yanoc, 800 English for Speakers of Other Languages students recently left Prince William County Public Schools due to fear of deportation, and that same fear makes others hesitant to obtain needed medical services. Foreclosures in the county are also at an all-time high.
“My sense is that the alliance is going to now be able to raise more money from people who are hateful,” said Juan Carlos Ruiz of immigration advocate group The Virginia New Majority. “But ultimately, the financial impact of laws created by hate are going to be negative for the communities in which they are enacted. We can build a better, stronger America if we all work together instead.”
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