Officials Say New Law Combats Illegal Immigrant Crime
By JENNA LAROCHE
HARRISONBURG, Va. — Over the last decade, the Latino population in Rockingham County has sky-rocketed, as immigrants from Mexico, Central America and other parts of the United States have settled in the area.
At last count, the population had increased a staggering 309 percent in the last several years, according to a study by James Madison University’s Latino Valley Project. Meanwhile, the county has experienced a remarkable increase in crime, according to law enforcement officials.
While it’s far from certain that the two are connected, the coincidence led officials to adopt controversial legislation earlier this year that allows specially trained officers to crack down on crime involving illegal immigrants, officials say.
Rockingham County is one of four counties in Virginia to pass the legislation, titled 287 (g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Interviews with numerous law enforcement officials, immigrant organizations, and immigrants themselves indicate that at least so far, the law, which appears to have provoked conflict elsewhere, has been successful because of its careful implementation by local agencies.
The legislation serves as “another tool in our arsenal to combat crime,” Sheriff Don Farley said. He added that his officers do not abuse 287 (g) and that it’s not used to profile Hispanics. There are, however, limited cases of abuse, according to some immigrants.
In contrast, implementation of 287 (g) in some regions of Northern Virginia has triggered protests and accusations of racism from pro-immigration groups such as Sin Fronteras (Without Borders), according to recent media reports.
The lack of that kind of conflict in Rockingham County may be owed to the political atmosphere and presence of James Madison University, where both students and faculty have campaigned for diversity, according to Laura Zarrugh, a JMU professor and a member of Harrisonburg Area Hispanic Services Council.
She added that the Herndon Minutemen, an anti-illegal immigration group, tried to hold a local meeting in Harrisonburg but met with resistance from both students and pro-immigrant groups.
Northern Virginia cities and counties, including Herndon, Manassas, Loudoun, and Fairfax, piloted the movement HelpSaveVirginia to help pass legislation like 287 (g) in response to community efforts to assist day laborers using tax dollars, according to Aubrey Seokes, member of HelpSaveVirginia. She described her group as a way “to give citizens a voice” and spread awareness about the effects of illegal immigration on the economy and community.
In Harrisonburg, Section 287 (g) authorizes local officers trained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to enforce immigration law by investigating, detaining and arresting illegal immigrants involved in crime, according to Sheriff Farley.
“The program is working,” said Corporal Chad Dofflemyer, who is one of five officers trained in immigration law. He said that since the beginning of October eight out of the 14 illegal immigrants investigated under 287 (g) have been detained. Once detained, illegal immigrants are sent to a federal court to determine whether or not they will be deported, said Dofflemyer.
Gerardo Pandolfi, editor and publisher of Nuevas Raices, Harrisonburg’s Spanish-language newspaper, believes that the treatment of immigrants varies from officer to officer, with some displaying hostility while others demonstrate tolerance. “It depends on the face of the policeman and it depends on the face of the immigrant,” Pandolfi said.
He said he and his wife, Carolina, don’t feel targeted by police but know of other immigrants who do. “Every week we hear different kinds of stories of people [police] coming to houses at 3 a.m., knocking on doors, asking for documentation,” said Pandolfi. He added that in many cases, even if legal documentation is presented, immigrants are taken into custody until their documents are validated.
Yet most immigrants and pro-immigrant groups say that the legislation has been handled well. Zarrugh agrees that officials are not profiling individuals and detaining them simply because they look like Latinos. She does offer, however, that it’s nearly impossible for immigrants to come here legally because of the small number—about 5,000—of U.S. working visas for them. “I don’t believe everyone who crosses the border is here to commit crimes,” said Zarrugh.
The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Department plans on having five more officers trained by ICE in order to have the maximum of 10 officers per department, said Corporal Dofflemyer.