Measure passes with bi-partisan support
Central Virginia- The House passes House Resolution 10, with bi-partisan support, by a vote of 73-23. Delegate Christopher K. Peace (R-97th District), was a co-patron of HR 10, a measure to urge the President of the United States and the Secretary of Homeland Security to honor Virginia's request to enter into a § 287(g) memorandum of agreement extending specific, limited federal immigration training and enforcement authority to the Virginia Department of State Police.
According to the ICE website: “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the largest investigative agency in the Department of Homeland Security, enforces federal immigration laws as part of its homeland security mission. ICE works closely with federal, state and local law enforcement partners in this mission.”
The 287(g) program, is one of ICE’s top partnership initiatives, it allows a state and local law enforcement entity to enter into a partnership with ICE, under a joint Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). The state or local entity receives delegated authority for immigration enforcement within their jurisdictions.
In August of 2010, Governor Bob McDonnell sent a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano officially requesting the Commonwealth 287(g) training and authorization for State Police under the Task Force Model. Since that letter, DHS has not approved Virginia’s request.
“Due to the Obama Administration’s ‘foot dragging’, this resolution is needed to express our emphatic support of this program and Virginia’s desire to participate,” commented Delegate Peace.
Peace continued, “House Republicans believe that playing by the rules and abiding by the law is important. Countless immigrants to this great nation have come here to embrace the American dream and we very much honor legal immigrants by ensuring that when people enter our country for legal purposes and they observe the rules, we welcome them. It’s that simple.”
Read Governor McDonnell’s letter to Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano:
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/News/viewRelease.cfm?id=310
For more information on ICE or 287(g): http://www.ice.gov/287g/