A resolution passed in Virginia’s Prince William County last week to crack down on illegal immigrants might bring a mass relocation to welcoming states like Maryland, experts said.
The law bars illegal immigrants from obtaining business licenses and using services for the homeless, elderly and drug-addicted. In addition, police must check suspects’ immigration status if there is reason to believe they are here illegally.
Full funding for the law has not yet been approved, so the effective date of the legislation has been delayed. Still, publicity about the law and its future enforcement may be enough to prompt some to uproot.
“They’re absolutely coming. Some of the police officers in my district have said they’ve seen an increase in Virginia license plates driving around,” said Will Campos, Prince George’s County Council member. “It doesn’t mean they’re moving here, but they’re browsing.”
Campos attributed Prince George’s tolerance of immigrants to its minority majority population.
“I believe we’re a little more progressive in thinking and a little more open to immigration,” he said. “There are things that can be compromised and worked out as opposed to completely shutting the door and running scare tactics like they’re doing in other places.”
Maryland is not the most permissive state when it comes to immigration, said immigration expert William Hanna, however it “is probably in the top half of states in the United States that have been more receptive,” to immigrants.
“Some people will obviously be inclined to move to places where they won’t be harassed,” said the University of Maryland, College Park professor.
Maryland has generally been more relaxed about illegal immigration than Virginia. For example, it is one of only nine states that doesn’t check immigration status before issuing a driver’s license.
“We have a growing immigrant community in Maryland that’s made its economy number one,” said Delegate Victor Ramirez, D-Prince George’s. That strong economy could draw people to Maryland, he said.
“You’re going to start to see folks (in Prince William County) spending their money somewhere else,” he said. “It’s not just about illegal immigrants, it’s about legal immigrants. Why invest money in a county that preaches, to a certain extent, hate?”
Ramirez proposed legislation in January to grant illegal immigrants in-state tuition for public colleges and universities. The bill received initial support, but has been shelved since the General Assembly recessed in April.
Unlike Prince William County, the Montgomery County Council unanimously rejected immigration enforcement training. The federal program has U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents training county police officers to conduct residency status checks on criminal suspects.
“To go down the road that a few counties have done in Northern Virginia — Loudoun and Prince William — is expensive, counterproductive and leads to the harassment of our neighbors,” Council Member George Leventhal said at a Sept. 26 town hall meeting.
Takoma Park actually passed a law in 1985 forbidding its police from checking immigration status and then, on Oct. 15, rejected Police Chief Ronald Ricucci’s recommendation to loosen that restriction and allow officers to a