Libs are out of control. Some priorities.

http://dcist.com/2017/09/arlington_funds_100000_to_fund_lega.php

Although Arlington County does not identify as a "sanctuary city," it will become the first jurisdiction in Virginia to fund emergency immigration legal aid services.

The Arlington County Board approved a one-time grant of $100,000 to the Legal Aid Justice Center on Saturday to represent undocumented immigrants, mixed status families, and refugees.

“In these uncertain times, it is important that the County take tangible steps to address the urgent legal needs of our immigrant residents," said Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette in a release. "We will continue to stand with them, and to be a welcoming and inclusive community.”

It is unclear exactly how large the undocumented population in Arlington County is—the head of the Legal Aid Justice Center estimates it is around 17,000 people—but about one in four Arlington residents were born abroad, according to county officials.
During the budget process for the 2018 fiscal year, residents and advocates raised the issue of providing emergency assistance in the wake of President Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies, a crackdown on those who are in the country illegally, and deepening fear in the community.
From February to July, deportation orders were up 31 percent from the same period last year, according to the Justice Department, which touted "a return to rule of law" under the Trump administration. Over the past month and a half, 41 Arlingtonians were placed in deportation proceedings, says LACJ attorney Rebecca Wolozin.

In March, Arlington County launched a website to clarify its immigration policies: Arlington County law enforcement does not monitor or detain residents for the purpose of determining immigration status, and it doesn't take part in a federal program that deputizes local agencies to conduct immigration enforcement. But county leaders have stopped shy of using the sanctuary city designation.

"Doing so could potentially mislead our residents and others to believe that Arlington County is able to, in some way, shield them from immigration enforcement actions by the federal government. We do not have the authority to do so," the county explains online.

Still, it defines itself as "as a welcoming and inclusive community where every person has the right to live, learn, work, and play," and has worked to provide resources, information, and public statements on immigration to that effect.
The decision to provide funds for legal services follows similar programs in a number of other jurisdictions, including D.C.
In January, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced $500,000 in funding for legal help and immigration services that was distributed to ten organizations. The program has been renewed for a second year, and Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau has proposed making it permanent.

"It is a clear need for residents in the District, and we’re addressing it," Betsy Cavendish, the mayor's general counsel, told DCist. "Certainly fear has worsened." City officials estimate the undocumented population in D.C. is about 25,000 people.

Arlington's announcement comes on the heels of the Trump administration's decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, lending additional urgency to calls for legal aid for immigrants.

“It is wonderful that Arlington is stepping up to fill in the justice gap," Wolozin said. "And it is more important than ever now that our Dreamers suddenly find themselves at risk of deportation to a country they barely remember.”

We democrats know how to best spend your money. SUCKERS!