Kilgore brings Immigration into the race for Virginia governor.

By CHELYEN DAVIS

Date published: 8/14/2005

RICHMOND--When Republican gubernatorial candidate Jerry Kilgore came out against a proposal to build a center for day laborers--who are largely immigrants--he stepped squarely into an issue that is building in momentum across the country.

More and more, the debate over illegal immigrants--how to keep them out, whether they deserve government help, and so on--is cropping up as an issue.

According to University of Virginia political analyst Larry Sabato, "It's starting to move into that category filled by abortion, gay rights, the death penalty and guns."

So Kilgore has taken a side on a hot-button issue in opposing Herndon's plans to use taxpayer money to build a site where day laborers can go to be picked up for work.

He also last week proposed giving local law enforcement the authority to question people who are arrested for crimes about their immigration status, and detain them if they're here illegally. Such authority had been proposed in Congress in 2003.

Immigration issues have never been at the forefront in a statewide Virginia race before, so Kilgore is in a sense the guinea pig, gauging voters' reaction.

"How will it cut? Obviously Republicans think it's going to work," Sabato said. "It's not just Kilgore, some of the House of Delegates incumbents and candidates are using that too. There's obviously some disquiet in Northern Virginia about these illegal immigrants. It's not just the jobs issue, it's also crime and gangs. So it may work, it may not, we'll have to see. It's never really been discussed in much detail."

In a press release Monday, Kilgore said that he opposed using taxpayer money to help those who are in this country illegally to find work.

"We face a fundamental decision in Virginia: Will we reward illegal behavior with hard-earned dollars from law-abiding citizens?" Kilgore asked in a statement. "The answer to this question is an easy one: no. And today I call upon my Democrat opponent to join me in this stand."

His Democratic opponent, Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine, has not taken a position on the day-laborer centers, nor has he discussed immigration as an issue at length. Kaine, however, opposes Kilgore's proposal to give local officials a role in immigration enforcement. A press release from Kaine spokeswoman Delacey Skinner said that Kilgore's proposal indicates he doesn't understand that law enforcement officers have their hands full dealing with local crime.

Date published: 8/14/2005