VIRGINIA BRIEFING

LOUDOUN COUNTY

Deputies to Check Suspects' Immigration Status

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said yesterday that it has received clearance from federal authorities to begin checking the immigration status of people arrested in the county if deputies suspect they are in the United States illegally.

Three members of the sheriff's gang intelligence unit recently completed a four-week training program run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Loudoun officials said. The deputies are empowered to begin the deportation process for illegal immigrants who have committed serious crimes, Sheriff Stephen O. Simpson said.

"The agreement [with ICE] clearly states that our intent is to target those involved in gang or other serious criminal activity," Simpson said in a statement. "This program cannot and will not be used for random checks or unsolicited searches."

The program, known as 287(g), has been adopted by more than 50 other law enforcement agencies, including Prince William County's.

-- Bill Brubaker

Fuel Spill Causes Flight Cancellation at Dulles

A flight bound for Los Angeles from Dulles International Airport was delayed for hours and finally canceled after a 15-gallon spill during refueling, authorities said.

American Airlines Flight 149, which originally was scheduled to take off at 9:20 a.m. was being refueled about 4:25 p.m. when the spill occurred. An emergency was declared, and passengers left the plane, authorities said.

The spill was nearly cleaned up by 5 p.m., an airport spokeswoman said. By then, however, federal regulations governing crew work hours forced cancellation of the flight, according to an airline spokeswoman. A detailed explanation of the earlier delays could not be obtained immediately.

"Just a nightmare," said a man who telephoned The Washington Post and described himself as a passenger. He did not give his name.