Pr. William (VA) Broadens Citizenship Checks [View All]

[MountainLaurel]

Just what we need, some Barney Fife out in Gainesville having access to a national database.

Everyone arrested in Prince William County will have his or her name run through a federal database to determine citizenship status, even if the person is not suspected of being in the country illegally, according to a draft of the county's revised illegal-immigration policy.

Police Chief Charlie T. Deane briefed the Board of County Supervisors yesterday on the changes, which the board approved in April after concerns were raised that its policy had left the police department open to charges of racial profiling.

Chairman Corey A. Stewart (R-At Large), who worked with the police department and county attorney to develop the wording in the general order, said he is happy with the changes.

"It still has the strength of the old policy and is more legally defensible," he said, adding that officers can still make immigration checks if they have questions about someone's identity.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/03/AR2008060302148.html