Alienating issue, still: Va. immigration laws draw belated Jewish response

[Ian David]

8/1/2007 8:59:00 PM
by Richard Greenberg, Associate Editor

Legislation enacted last month in two Northern Virginia counties that targets illegal immigrants has generated vociferous opposition, impassioned support and ambivalence as well.

Among the opponents are several Jewish organizations, although none of them had spoken out publicly until they were contacted last week by WJW and asked for comment.

<snip>

One Sha'are Shalom congregant who supports the Loudoun County legislation is Ken Reid, a member of the Leesburg Town Council and the owner of a local publishing company. Reid, a former liberal Democrat-turned Republican, said he is concerned primarily with safety problems stemming from immigrant-related residential overcrowding and with the exploitation of illegal immigrants who are often paid under the table by contractors and then send the money to their country of origin. That arrangement, he said, is a disincentive for them to settle here and become U.S. citizens.

<snip>

Not surprisingly, a progressive Jewish blog known as J Voices had a completely different take on the doings in Northern Virginia. In a message posted shortly after the Prince William legislation was adopted, J Voices stated: "If you weren't doing anything about immigrant rights before, this should raise an alarm or two, nu?"

More:
http://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=7484&TM=32295.33

[Virginia Dare]

1. This isn't even the tip of the ice berg..

The bottom is falling out of the construction business, where the vast majority of the Latino immigrants (documented and otherwise) are working. We're heading headlong into a social crisis, and nobody is paying attention.