September 27, 2007

The state of Virginia is considering whether to build special detention centers to hold illegal immigrants until the federal government can deport them. The state’s crime commission estimates at least 10 percent of those in Virginia jails and prisons are illegals who have committed crimes. Cost for the centers would be paid for with money the federal government sends to state and local governments to house illegals awaiting deportation.

Virginia – especially northern Virginia – has a large illegal immigrant population. The federal government has been lax, inefficient and indifferent in upholding the law in the case of illegal aliens. Instead, politicians have been trying to win the Hispanic vote by pandering to Hispanics on this issue. But polls show most Hispanics – not the activists who have their own agenda – but law-abiding Hispanics, don’t like lawbreakers in their community any more than the rest of us do.

Virginia’s governor is a Democrat, but the state legislature has a Republican majority. It will be interesting to see how that plays out. If this works well for Virginia residents, let’s hope other states follow its example.

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.