The most hateful county in Virginia

[Stewie]

Has to be Loudoun. Prince William maybe in the news, but they got their cue from Loudoun. So far they've...

* Started the process of deporting undocumented immigrants the police catch, long before Prince William started
* Will begin cutting off services to undocumented immigrants
* Their officials helped defeat the entire Herndon Town Council that established a day labor center, and now they're trying to eradicate it completely.

Any thoughts on what to do? If it stops there, it will stop everywhere else in Northern Va.

[One Sweet World]

1. Is it becuase

of all the money in Loudoun?

[pnutbutr]

8. big part of it

The amount of quiet money in Loudon is astounding. Loudon fought off Disney years ago. Also just recently fought off Dominion power without much effort. Unfortunately that caused Dominion to reroute the line from just through Loudon to Rappahannock, Culpeper, Fauquier, Prince Willam and finally to Loudon. What's even worse is the same thing happened in the 70's which allowed the existing right of way they want to expand through Rappahannock, Culpeper, Fauquier and Prince Willam to be built in the first place.

[Neurotica]

2. National political figures use Loudoun as a playground

There are many national political figures living in Loudoun -- heads of various conservative organizations and religious right groups, CNP members, etc.

Many have become involved in local activities (e.g., local government and school board). They often seem to test the waters in Loudoun by enacting various policies. And they employ wedge issues (like illegal immigration) to get their base to the voting booths.

Unfortunately, with respect to the situation with undocumented immigrants, I don't think things will stop in Loudoun. For instance, I saw on the metro DC news tonight that the Culpeper County board of supervisors passed a resolution last night making English the official language of the county. And in Loudoun, based largely on the support of the anti-immigrant faction (from what I can tell), someone with no supervisory experience won the support of the Loudoun County Republican committee over the sheriff who has held the position for quite a while.

I do think that community organizations and religious groups need to stand together and educate residents about how this issue is being used to divide the county.

Also, there needs to be a huge GOTV effort this fall -- a lot of people don't realize that there are elections.

[Virginian]

5. Fall elections for House of Delegates...

It is very important to VA to vote this November.
The delegates elected this year will determine the shapes of the congressional districts for the 2008 elections.

[greyghost]

3. No it won't.

There is nothing wrong in enforcing the laws on the books. Nor is there anything wrong in filling the void left by the federal government.

I'm happy that Loudon and Prince William Counties are finally doing something positive.

The situation is out of control and needs to be addressed.

[Frances]

6. What does greyghost mean?

Does it have anything to do with the grey uniforms of Confederate soldiers?

[pnutbutr]

7. Mosby

Mosby had the nickname Grey Ghost.

[lynne]

4. I don't see it stopping. I believe it's just begun -

- as I anticipate that neighboring counties will take similar positions on illegal immigrants to prevent them from moving in from Prince William and Loudoun. The citizens of Herndon voted their displeasure with the day labor center and other county supervisors seem to have paid attention. There is only one thing to do - illegals need to make themselves legal. There must be organizations working with immigrants towards that end and they probably could use volunteers to assist.

Edit to add: A look at today's Winchester Star shows that it has begun in earnest:

"Winchester — Frustrated over a perceived lack of action by both federal and state governments, several local agencies have begun to take the fight against illegal immigration into their own hands.

Frederick, Loudoun, Shenandoah, Rockingham, and Prince William counties have recently, or are in the process of, passing legislation that would enable them to hasten the deportation process of illegal aliens."