Posted on March 29, 2005

Urge Gov. Warner to Sign Legislation to Cut Off Benefits for Illegal Aliens

Federation for American Immigration Reform, Mar. 29

By midnight tonight Governor Mark Warner (D) must take action on legislation barring illegal aliens from obtaining Virginia taxpayer-funded services and benefits.

Please call and email the Governor immediately and urge him to sign HB 1798/SB 1143 into law.

Call 804-786-2211, email at: https://www.governor.virginia.gov/Contact/email_form.html

This exceptional legislation will make Virginia a flagship state in the fight to remove incentives for illegal immigration! Your calls and emails are counted and are effective in persuading the Governor to sign this important legislation.

Christina Bellantoni, Washington Times, Mar. 29

Arlington and Fairfax county and Alexandria government officials say they want an exemption from a proposed state law that would prevent illegal aliens from receiving local health care benefits.

Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, a Democrat, has until midnight tonight to take action on the measure, which passed both chambers of the Republican-controlled General Assembly with a veto-proof majority.

The legislation also would forbid state agencies from giving benefits such as Medicaid and welfare to illegals.

The measure would require that both state and local governments verify the legal presence of an immigrant before providing any nonemergency public benefits. Local governments said the bill would require them to deny access to subsidized health care, free clinics and homeless shelters for adult aliens.

In separate letters to Mr. Warner, the officials asked that local governments be excused entirely from the measure.

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The measure would require people to provide documents to prove legal presence when requesting benefits. The documents allowed would match those required to obtain a driver’s license under a law passed by the General Assembly two years ago.

Jack Powers, director of community programs in Alexandria, said the city does not have the money or people to check for illegal immigrants.

“This is just too far-reaching,” Mr. Powers said yesterday. “Where would the resources come from to do this additional screening?”

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Read the rest of this story here.