A Tale of Two Jurisdictions
By Greg L | 26 March 2008 | Illegal Aliens, Virginia Politics, Prince William County | 12 Comments
Although it’s not clear from the DC Examiner article precisely how Prince William County Police managed to get their hands on an illegal alien MS-13 member and attempted murderer who had absconded from Maryland, what is clear is that criminal illegal aliens have a much more difficult time evading the law in Prince William County than in other nearby jurisdictions. In Montgomery County, Maryland police do not regularly check the immigration status of criminal suspects, which lead admitted MS-13 member Milton Calderon-Melendez to be released on bail following charges of assault and disappear. A few weeks later Calderon-Melendez stabbed his roommate in the chest while a friend beat him with a baseball bat, and at some point afterwards Milton Calderon-Melendez wound up in Prince William County. Perhaps as part of the county’s participation in the Section 287(g) Program following yet another arrest, or the implementation of the Rule of Law Resolution, Calderon-Melendez was caught in Prince William County, finally identified as the illegal alien that he is, and held by authorities instead of being released.
While the policies and procedures in place in Prince William County continue to demonstrate real and positive results, other nearby jurisdictions in Virginia continue to provide opportunities for criminal illegal aliens to evade the law and are potentially putting their citizens at risk. Fairfax and Arlington Counties will not question a criminal suspect about their immigration status unless the individual is suspected of a felony, or the individual happens to get the attention of the Northern Virginia Gang Task Force. Had Calderon-Melendez committed his first assault in Fairfax County for example, it would have likely been considered a misdemeanor charge and the immigration status check would have depended on the gang task force noticing this case. The immigration status of this defendant would never have been checked, and even if it had it certainly would not have been checked with the same degree of skill as the ICE-trained officers in Prince William County are capable of.
So before Virginians outside of Prince William County (and the handful of other jurisdictions that participate in the Section 287(g) Program) get all excited that they’re safer than the residents of Montgomery County, Maryland, they should realize that feeling of security is largely an illusion. Yes, in Virginia we will be denying illegal aliens bail starting this summer, but unless we can actually identify who among our criminal suspects are actually illegal aliens, it’s a somewhat pointless exercise. The Section 287(g) Program provides officers the training and resources needed to make these determinations. Without that training or access to ICE resources, an illegal alien criminal suspect who is a marginally proficient liar can evade being identified as the illegal alien that he or she is.
The editorial board of the Washington Times looks awfully prescient today in their editorial, and probably weren’t aware of this crime vignette since it wasn’t covered in today’s edition. While the welcome mat for illegal aliens isn’t quite gone throughout Virginia, it sure is a heck of a lot less evident in Virginia than it is in Maryland.
Gov. Martin O’Malley, the Maryland General Assembly and politicians in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties appear to be laying the groundwork for a population exchange with Virginia and other neighboring states. The trading works this way: Maryland overtaxes tax small- and medium-sized computer businesses, but lays out the welcome mat for illegal aliens; meanwhile, Virginia yanks the welcome mat for illegals, but is prepared to welcome businesses from Maryland. Sound far-fetched? It really isn’t.
Ike Legget is probably darned embarrassed these days as the real effects of the policies he promotes are on full display. He should be. Gerry Connolly and Walter Tejada should beware that it’s only a matter of time before this demonstration of cause and effect comes to haunt them also. Voters who begin to really see a difference in public safety and fiscal wellness demonstrated between those jurisdictions which welcome illegal aliens and those who take action to hold illegal aliens accountable for their violations of the law are going to start clamoring for more responsible policies in regards to the unlawful presence of illegal aliens. “Leaders” like Ike Legget, Gerry Connolly and Walter Tejada are the architects and proponents of horribly flawed public policies which deliberately put their own citizens at needless risk, and divert taxpayer dollars to support a comfortable existence for illegal aliens in their jurisdictions.
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12 Comments
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I can’t understand how voters would re-elect Connaly for anything at all…in fact there should be a campaign started by the Fairfax County voters to get him out of office.
As for Walter Tejada he doesn’t mind Arlington being run in the ground by illegal aliens. Last month, I drove down Glebe Road, went down Walter Reed Drive near where the “Weenie Beenie” restaurant was and there were over 50 day laborers hanging out. Arlington has wasted away.
Good news to see those who won’t act now get the illegal alien problem.
This story tells us more than any logical, but verbal, argument could ever do. Arresting illegals is the surest way of making everyone is safer, and employers of illegals truly have blood on their hands. Tejada’s first name, by the way, is “Jose” which he avoids in the same way that Obama avoids “Hussein”. He’s known in some circles in the County as “Don Pepe”.
It will be hilarious to watch Maryland push it’s own initiatives to discourage illegal aliens. It’s easy to verbalize a liberal agenda but quite another to fund it.
Johnson said on 26 Mar 2008 at 1:50 pm:
I am more interested in watching their glass houses crack and break. I don’t think they realized what they were opening when they opened this can of worms.
The illegal alien lobby is very entrenched in MD. I find it hard to have any sympathy. MD asked for this. They vote these lunatics into office. They point at and call us names. The light has been turned on and the hypocracy is becoming visible.
Let them reap what they have sewn. If they want to flee here, they better leave their ideologies in MD.
More along these lines, this time from OK.
http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=research_mar08nl09
For those who wish for one global family, know that the United States of America will remain a sovereign nation until the rest of the world lives up to OUR standards. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Rule of law. Fix your own house before you ask to attach it to ours.
Breaking News:
From staff reports
Published: March 26, 2008
Prince William Police Chief Charlie T. Deane is meeting with the Mexican Consul in Woodbridge to talk about concerns in the Hispanic community over the county’s resolution on illegal immigration.
The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Hi Mart, 13412 Jefferson Davis Highway.
The informational meeting is intended to dispel fears and rumors about the resolution in the wake of an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement raid on a worksite in the Manassas area on Monday.
Not4Nothing said on 26 Mar 2008 at 2:32 pm:
I have said all along what the article was stating. They will self deport if they have to. That time is coming soon and it will work.
Mando said on 26 Mar 2008 at 3:03 pm:
I would love to know what is said in that meeting. I can not make it unfortunately. If anyone can go, please be sure to document it so we will know what is being told to the illegal alien population in PWC. The PWCPD really didn’t have anything to do with the raid other than to show they were aware that the feds were in their backyard to take care of business.
Come on guys! They’re just here to do the jobs that Americans won’t.
I plan to attend tonight. However, will I know what they tell the illegals –after all my Spanish is very rusty.