The Connection Newspapers do a great job of covering local politics. In this editorial, they provide a look at the voting on some issues involving immigrants. (I'm from the "let 'em in" camp but we need not debate that here.)
Lack of Compassion?
Bills targeting illegal immigrants that passed by a wide margin in the House of Delegates died in committees in the Virginia Senate in the last week.
***A bill would have punished the children of illegal immigrants, for example, by denying in-state tuition for anyone "unlawfully in the United States." Education advocates in Fairfax County report that some very highly qualified high school seniors don't even know that they are undocumented until they apply to college and seek financial aid. Denying these students access to an education is cutting off your nose to spite your face. Many have lived here almost their whole lives, and with an education can contribute to the economy, support themselves and their families and have a far lower chance of needing some sort of social services.
Nevertheless, many Northern Virginia delegates of both parties voted for this measure including Dave Albo, David Bulova, Vince Callahan, Brian Moran, David Poisson, Tom Rust, Steve Shannon, and Mark Sickles among the 74 who voted in favor.
Voting against: Kristin Amundson, Chuck Caputo, Adam Ebbin, Al Eisenberg, David Englin, Robert Hull, David Marsden, Ken Plum, Jim Scott and Vivian Watts among the 23 who voted against.
Northern Virginia delegates voting in favor of a bill that would have made it a crime for an illegal immigrant to be in Virginia: Dave Albo, David Bulova, Vince Callahan, Tim Hugo, Joe May, Tom Rust.
Voting against: Kris Amundson, Bob Brink, Chuck Caputo, Adam Ebbin, Al Eisenberg, David Englin, Bob Hull, David Marsden, Bob Marshall, Brian Moran, Ken Plum, David Poisson, Jim Scott, Steven Shannon, Mark Sickles and Vivian Watts.