Thursday, August 9, 2007

Fact vs. Fiction in Loudon Cnty VA

http://www.lavozloudoun.org/


A comment recently came in that we did not post because of its vulgar nature. The writer asked why a group in Texas was getting into the business of a California county. Our response: The same question could be asked about this post on Loudon Cnty. VA. -- Its important to take notice of advocacy movements in the U.S. - no matter what region. It gives hope and may influence other localities.--- Houston can do the same, as can Orange County, Chicago, New York, and Miami...

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Groups to Fight Crackdown on Immigrants
Activists Organize Against Board's Plans to Cut Off Services to People Without Legal Status
By Sandhya Somashekhar
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, August 9, 2007; Page LZ01

Immigrant advocates and civil liberties activists in Loudoun County are developing plans to fight a proposed county crackdown on illegal immigrants, saying that they hope to dispel widely held misconceptions about the issue...

...Opponents ...say such measures will encourage racial profiling and engender fear among all immigrants, legal or not. The supervisors say their intent is not to scare legal immigrants but to protect county taxpayers from supporting those who are in the country -- and the county -- illegally.

Two of the groups leading the charge against the board's efforts are La Voz of Loudoun, a Hispanic outreach and advocacy nonprofit organization, and the Cascades-based Virginian Muslim Political Action Committee. Both are organizing events in the next few weeks to promote their cause.

La Voz is sponsoring an Aug. 16 panel discussion about undocumented residents and the issues they present for law enforcement and employers. The group's executive director, Laura Valle, said that the meeting will be strictly informational and that participants will not espouse any particular political viewpoint.

But she said she hopes that Loudoun residents attending the event, scheduled for 7 p.m. at Ida Lee Recreation Center in Leesburg, will come away with a better understanding of the complexities surrounding the immigration debate, including the nature of immigration status. She also hopes it will persuade supporters of tougher enforcement policies to "take all of this passion and redirect it back to the federal government, where it belongs..."

for complete article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/08/AR2007080800125.html

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