Aug

17

Immigration is a Top Concern for GOP Voters in 10th District

Filed Under Immigration, Press Release, Republicans 

Contact: Lisa Bell

703-470-5042

vern@mckinleyforcongress.com

Ashburn, VA—The McKinley for Congress campaign in the 10th District of Virginia launched its website in June 2007 and the number one issue for potential voters contacting the campaign was immigration. Their primary concerns focused on illegal immigration, gangs and border security. Vern McKinley is challenging long-time incumbent Congressman Wolf for the GOP nomination in the 10th District.

Supervisors in both Loudoun and Prince William Counties, two counties within the 10th District, have recently passed resolutions to address illegal immigration. In statements released at the time of passage of these resolutions, supervisors have expressed their frustration with the breakdown in border security by the federal government and the resulting 10 to 20 million illegal immigrants in the country. A primary focus in both resolutions has been the services that are granted to illegal immigrants and the cost to county government of these services.

“I think the focus by the Boards in Loudoun and Prince William on incentives to enter the country, including services offered by county and local governments, is a good approach,” noted Vern McKinley, who is the GOP challenger against incumbent Congressman Frank Wolf. “Additionally, we should look at modifying the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which provides an additional incentive to cross the border illegally to attain citizenship for children born here. However, another key issue is the government’s failure to patrol the border despite increased spending in this area. According to the Economic Report of the President released earlier this year, funding for border security has exploded the last half dozen years from $4.6 billion in 2001 to $10.4 billion in 2007 and the number of border patrol agents has gone from 9,000 to 15,000. Are we getting our money’s worth and why has the government failed to effectively manage this process?” McKinley asked.

Congressman Frank Wolf has issued press releases during 2007 regarding immigration reform legislation. In these press releases he noted that he is opposed to amnesty in the current Senate bill, as he was similarly opposed to amnesty in the last major immigration overhaul in 1986, and that we need tougher border security measures today. “Congressman Wolf has chosen to focus on his vote twenty years ago and his stance against the Senate immigration bill today, but he ignores the twenty years in between. He was a senior member of the Appropriations Committee for much of the last twenty years. Were appropriations well spent and was there effective oversight of that spending? This situation did not happen overnight. I hope to meet soon to discuss these and other issues with members of grass-roots organizations, Help Save Loudoun and Help Save Manassas, that have contacted our campaign,” McKinley noted.

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