30 Jun 2004 Illegal Alien? No Problem Unpaid Ticket? Lose Use of Your Car

NCPPR executive director David W. Almasi points out this interesting enforcement priorities in a Washington suburb:

In Arlington County, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C., police plan to adopt a narrow interpretation of a new state law aimed at curbing crime on the part of illegal aliens. The new law, part of a new strategy to fight terrorism, allows authorities to detain an illegal alien criminal suspect with a felony record or previous deportation for 72 hours without bail and to transfer them to federal custody. The police, however, say they will limit their contact with federal authorities only to those committing violent felonious acts, having previous felony convictions or deportations, engaged in alien smuggling themselves, involved in gang activity or those actually engaging in terrorism. Quality-of-life arrests, traffic stops, misdemeanor crimes such as minor assaults and other infractions committed by known or suspected illegal aliens will apparently not jeopardize their continued residency. There’s definitely pressure from local Hispanic groups to keep the enforcement light. It is political correctness at its worst.

Meanwhile, Arlington government employees are roaming the streets with a computer-linked camera, taking photos of license plates. If the owner of the car is found to owe unpaid taxes or fines, these city employees have the power to remove the plates from the car – essentially impounding it. If the driver fails to heed the bright green sticker they apply to the windshield and drives the car, the police will pull that driver over. They won’t put them in jail without bail or deport them, but they probably won’t show much mercy.

Has anyone pointed out to Arlington officials that illegal aliens don’t usually pay their fair share of taxes? That might set their whole PC thought process on its head.