Building Group Said to Ignore Hiring Issue

Politicians Campaign On Illegal Immigration

A pair of Prince William County Republicans set up their soapboxes in a Chantilly parking lot this week to hammer the region's home-building industry, accusing developers of "turning a blind eye" to hiring practices that employ illegal immigrants.

The industry characterized the attack as election-year politics.

Prince William Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart and state House candidate Faisal Gill convened a news conference in the parking lot of the new headquarters of the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association, then took aim.

"What really disgusts me is they're not the ones paying the price," said Stewart, singling out residential builders for blame. "We pay the price."

Gill accused the trade group of keeping silent on illegal immigration enforcement. "I've yet to hear one statement from them, ever," he said.

Both Republicans are running heavily on the illegal immigration issue, with Stewart taking credit for Prince William's crackdown and Gill proposing to charge employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants with a felony under state law. The offense is already a felony under federal law.

"Fines alone are not the answer," said Gill, who also proposed the creation of a "strike force" unit within the Virginia State Police that would target illegal immigrants across county lines.

The next day, Jim Williams, executive vice president of the building association, fired back, particularly at Stewart, who would "do or say anything to get elected," he said.

"The grandstanding that the chairman is doing is probably the lowest point I have seen in election politics in over 30 years," Williams said. "Corey Stewart has reached an all-time height in using [illegal immigration] for demagoguery."

Williams also challenged Stewart to prove that association members had hired illegal immigrants.

"Our members comply with immigration laws, and we comply with hiring laws," he said. "We encourage all of our subcontractors to comply to the fullest extent possible."

As in last year's campaign, Stewart has heaped blame on the home-building industry for clogged roadways, crowded schools and other county ills. But this week, he added illegal immigration to the list with his parking-lot salvos.

"You have to rock the boat and be willing and able to take on the pro-illegal immigrant groups and not show fear," said Stewart, who is pressuring fellow board members to approve funding Tuesday for the county's new anti-illegal immigrant measures.

According to Williams, the association and several of its members had contributed to the campaign of Stewart's Democratic opponent, Sharon E. Pandak.

But Stewart has also received tens of thousands of dollars in contributions from the construction industry this year, money that he said is from the commercial and office sector, not home builders.

So are residential developers to blame for hiring illegal immigration, while other types of builders are not?

Stewart was less certain. "Not all developers are unscrupulous," he said. "It depends on the developer. It's not just residential."