Putting Out The Welcome Mat
The County Board pushes back against criticism of its immigration policy.
By David Schultz
September 25, 2007
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/printarticle.asp?article=87672
The following are excerpts from the County Board’s Sept. 18 resolution supporting immigrants, signed by all five Board Members:
"Arlington has and will continue to comply with all federal and state laws related to immigration… Arlington aggressively prosecutes individuals who commit serious crimes, checks the immigration status of any such person and forwards this information to appropriate State and federal officials…
[I]t is not the role of state or local governments to assume federal responsibilities to enforce complex immigration laws any more than it is a local government responsibility to enforce federal tax laws, patent laws, interstate commerce regulations, international trade rules, or a host of other federal rules and regulations that can lead to civil or criminal sanctions…
[T]here is a political effort to pressure local governments to enact punitive measures that would be counterproductive to the fulfillment of the fundamental missions of local government…
[T]his effort has been attended by increasingly irresponsible rhetoric that implies a lack of respect for all immigrants and engenders an atmosphere of divisiveness and mistrust that is… especially harmful for a diverse community like Arlington…
[C]reating a culture of fear and distrust of law enforcement makes a community less safe…
Be it resolved that Arlington County’s approach fulfills the fundamental mission of local government, providing for the safety, health, and welfare of our community, and rejecting policies and practices that promote discrimination, exploitation, and fear of government…
[T]he Arlington County Board supports… the provision of written material in different languages as appropriate, the use of interpreters at public meetings, [and] community policing that provides equal protection to all…
[T]he Arlington County Board calls on the Federal government to pass comprehensive immigration reform that includes strong border security… [and] calls upon federal and state officials to enact policies that promote the integration of immigrants into society in a way that provides procedures for employment and access to services for which they are available…"
In a bold statement, the Arlington County Board last week reaffirmed its immigration policies and answered its critics who accused the board of coddling illegal immigrants.
At its Sept. 18 meeting, the Board unanimously passed a resolution that clarified what it saw as the county’s role in the enforcement of immigration laws and decried those who are pressuring local governments to punish illegal immigrants.
"In order that there will be no confusion as to where the Board stands," said Board Chairman Paul Ferguson (D), "We are proposing this resolution."
The resolution states that Arlington County government is not responsible for enforcing immigration laws and that those who claim otherwise are using "irresponsible rhetoric" that "engenders an atmosphere of divisiveness and mistrust."
It also states that the county will continue to provide basic services, such as education and health care, to all Arlington residents regardless of their legal status in the country. Not doing so, the resolution states, "makes a community less safe."
The all-Democratic Board’s immigration resolution came in response to direct criticisms from Republicans in Arlington and elsewhere in Virginia. Much of the criticism centered on the idea that, because it doesn’t have tough laws against illegal immigrants, Arlington is a "sanctuary" for those who are in the country illegally.
The resolution seeks to dispel this perception, saying that "Arlington has and will continue to comply with all federal and state laws related to immigration."
THE BOARD MEMBERS said they were pleased that, unlike other parts of Northern Virginia that have experienced rancorous debates in recent years, the illegal immigration issue in Arlington has been dealt with thus far in a level-headed manner.
"It does not behoove you to scapegoat because you don’t feel safe," Board Member Barbara Favola (D) said.
However, none of the members of the County Board were more proud of the resolution than Vice Chair Walter Tejada (D). Having been born in El Salvador, Tejada said that the immigration issue is personal for him.
"This may be shocking to some," he said, "But the vast majority of immigrants are honest, hard-working and tax-paying, just like us… We’re talking about real people here, not just numbers."
One thing that Tejada and the critics of the Board’s policies can agree on is that the status quo immigration policy is unacceptable.
"Our immigration system is unregulated, chaotic, abusive and fails to respect dignity," he said. "Our immigration system is broken… and the people who are supposed to fix this, member of Congress, have failed us."
Ultimately, Tejada said that Arlington’s immigration policies are consistent with the American ideal of open opportunity for newcomers.
"If we put out the unwelcome mat," he said, "We will trample the dreams of many who seek to contribute like so many before."
THE BOARD was able to come out with an immigration statement only seven weeks before the election because of the political unanimity they currently enjoy.
The county is dominated by the local Democratic Party and Board Members have been regularly reelected by large margins for much of the past decade. While Tejada and Ferguson are each currently engaged in contested campaigns, both are the front-runners in their respective races.
During this campaign, the local Republican Party has recently been levying sharp criticism against the Board for what it sees as a failure to act on this issue. Republican Party Chairman Rafael Bejar said that "It doesn’t really seem that Arlington County is interested in resolving the issue of illegal immigration. It’s more inclined to kind of manage it."
Bejar agreed with part of the Board’s resolution, saying that "There is a lot of irresponsible rhetoric in the immigration issue and I condemn that. America is no place for racism of any shape or form."
But he added that people on all sides of this issue were inappropriately injecting race into the discussion.
"There are some people who are… nativists who don’t want anyone who is not blue-eyed to be in this country and I disagree with that," Bejar said. "But there are some people who, when [you] raise the issue, [they] say that you’re racist. The race card is being played from both sides on this issue."
