Illegal Immigration Overshadows Other Issues in Race for Board

Illegal immigration is the dominant issue in races for the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.

Although there is only one open seat, several incumbents are being challenged, including Chairman Corey A. Stewart (R), who championed the county's recently passed crackdown on illegal immigrants, and Supervisor John T. Stirrup (R-Gainesville), who introduced the immigration resolution this summer.

A crowded field is running in the Woodbridge District race to replace longtime Supervisor Hilda M. Barg (D), who announced her retirement in April. Barg, who had the seat for 20 years, endorsed businessman Frank J. Principi just before the Democratic primary in June. The other candidates are Republican Chris A. Royse and independents Steven Keen and Luis Ramirez.

Principi, who has lived in Woodbridge since 1992, owns a small business that specializes in emergency management and homeland security.

"We need to celebrate our diversity, not crackdown on illegal immigrants," said Principi, whose wife is from Peru. "It is very personal for me and my family. The Republican-led debate has spread fear and dissension in this community. It has destroyed relationships, embarrassed us as a county and ruined our reputation in the business community."

Principi's priorities, if elected, would be controlling growth and attracting commercial development to keep pace with the residential boom of the past decade. He also is advocating a Potomac River commuter ferry that would run to the Navy Yard and Pentagon and help reduce traffic on Route 1 and Interstate 95.

Royse moved to Woodbridge in 1998 to work with the FBI on budget issues related to weapons of mass destruction. Royse, a former Army special operator who is on the board of directors for the Prince William County/Manassas Convention and Visitors Bureau, wants to revitalize the Route 1 corridor and supports local enforcement of immigration laws.

Royse would adopt a broken-windows strategy -- going after people on small offenses, including littering, loitering and jaywalking -- to deter major crimes. He also would go after people who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

"We might not get you on that," he said of the employment laws the federal government is tasked with enforcing. "But we will put you under a period of intense scrutiny. You will eventually trip up. If we enforce the little things and the big guys realize it's too risky to do business here and they move on."

Keen said he would have supported the anti-illegal immigrant resolution had he been a supervisor. But he would have been more specific about which activities would trigger a check by police of someone's immigration status, rather than allowing officers to question anyone who breaks the law.

"Yes, you should leave if you are here illegally, but this is not a witch hunt," said Keen, who works for the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Had supervisors enforced the county's zoning laws, they might not have needed a resolution to curb illegal immigration, Keen said. "Suddenly the people who have done nothing come marching in to make themselves the heroes of the crisis they created," he said.