OK, second post about Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. The regional press notes that Cuccinelli issued an opinion (pdf) saying that municipal and state law enforcement can ask about the immigration status of people they detain -- a working Virginia version of Arizona's "Papers, please" immigration law.
The local press makes less note of what spurred Cuccinelli to issue that opinion in the first place. The AG was responding to a request from Del. Bob Marshall, a Republican from Prince William County. Marshall is the same guy who suggested disabled kids are divine retribution for abortion. And Prince William County is where the Federation for American Immigration Reform worked to get an anti-immigration ordinance in 2007. Now FAIR is pushing for a state-level bill.
State Sen. Donald McEachin (D-Richmond) tells us he expects to see one proposed as early as December. "The question is will we be prepared to defend against it," he said.
McEachin says officials from U.S. Customs and Enforcement -- ICE -- sought a meeting with Democratic lawmakers in Virginia last month to start thinking about that very question. "Virginia's right in Washington, D.C.'s backyard," he says. "They read the same newspapers we do."
Last week, a federal judge placed an injunction on key sections of Arizona's bill, including the part where cops are required to ask about the immigration status of people they stop. The judge decided that the federal government has a good chance of prevailing on the objectionable sections in its lawsuit against Arizona. Meanwhile, states appear to be reworking their plans for copycat laws. Except, maybe, for Virginia.
We'll have way more about the amazingness that is American immigration on the show tonight.
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Well somehow we managed to skate by without electing a Tea Party jackass and BP sympthizer, but you can be sure that Oklahoma will jump on board with this Az 1070 BS, especially seein' how we are a border state and everything....
I would say something about if this were a sane world people like Cooch and co. would never see daylight, or get an hour out of their straight jackets, but this has never been a sane world. And those are the kind of poeple who get elected.
As for me, I am sick and weary of the hate and the fear that is driving these "laws" and opinions from the right. EVERYWHERE, it seems, the fear of "the OTHER" is being fostered; pointing out the differences between people in order to keep their attention off what else is going on. Similar to a magic trick; keep the eyes off the important thing while you perform the switch.
It's also the old British Empire tactic of "divide and conquer". Have the masses at each others' throats while you march in and take over.
I noticed that Israel is jumping on that bandwagon. They are preparing to deport the children of migrant workers, as they continue to build a 130-mile fence between them and Egypt, not to mention the walls surrounding Palestinian enclaves.
As for Tea Party candidates, our Tea Party darling, Tom Emmer, trails the top two dem gubernatorial candidates in the polls. The dems have been smart, not attacking each other, but instead, focussing their ads solely on Emmer, who they associate with Pawlenty, who is already very unpopular here. This bodes ill for Emmer's chances, as he polls behind dems when the dems haven't even picked their nominee yet.
Meanwhile, I'm still not sure who I want to see repubs run for president in 2012. Sure, Palin would be the ideal candidate, as she alienates most normal folks as soon as she opens her mouth. She'd make McCain's loss in 2008 look like a real nail-biter compared to the whipping she'd take. On the other hand, I'd love to see TPaw be the nominee, as it would be fun to see him fail to win even his home state in an election. Polls here show that a large majority of Minnesotans would vote against him if he were the repub nominee in 2012. You see, we've had way too much experience with this clown, and wouldn't wish him on our worst enemies. Ok, that's not strictly true. We'd love to have him run for governor of a real red state, like TX perhaps. He'd get his clock cleaned because they'd feel he isn't conservative enough, doesn't kiss enough christofascist fundamenalist butt, and isn't macho enough to shoot hunting companions in the face!
I wasn't aware there were that many illegal aliens crossing the border between Mexico and Virginia.
I still say that some time this year or maybe next, we will see the Cooch at a press conference expressing remorse for cheating on his wife with a male prostitute. The gaydar knows!!!
A "study" needs to be done to see how many Black Virginia citizens have been sent to prison in the past ten years. I bet a lot during the Bush administration. Virginia officials want to decrease the number of residents who are not caucasion. Now they are starting in on people who "look like" they are from south of the border. If they can't have them deported they will have them put in prison. Prisoners can't make babies and the government pays prisons to house people. Perfect set up, for a state that still have that slave master mentality.
http://dvjustice.blogspot.com
DV, please do not include all Virginia residents in your statement. There are many of us who just hold our breath and wonder what the team of Cooch and McDonnell are going to come up with next. Not everyone voted for this crew and not everyone is happy with what they are doing!!
I'm in AZ. i cannot believe how quickly Brewer, Pearce, Arpaio and the like are flushing this state down the rathole.(And McCain is going along ,for votes.)
They are darlings of the right wing media,. they are also bankrupting and dividing the state as well as killing it's heart , it's common sense, and its respect.
fearmongering and race baiting in the guise of flag waving and law and order.
the issue is not immigration. the issue isn't even crime.
the issue is hype..hype for political gain.
i am sickened .