Three Virginia congressmen, including U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D), are urging Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to grant Gov. Robert McDonnell's request to allow state troopers to act as immigration and customs agents.
In a letter to Napolitano dated Wednesday, Republicans Frank Wolf and Rob Wittman and Connolly, who has pushed to fund the so-called 287g program in Congress, wrote of their support: "This proposed partnership between the Department of Homeland Security and the Commonwealth of Virginia will improve information sharing, leverage federal and state resources, and above all, contribute to improved public safety."
McDonnell has spent months trying to reach an agreement with the federal government to train and deputize troopers to make legal status checks and refer individuals for deportation. The superintendent of the Virginia State Police, the Virginia secretary of public safety and McDonnell's chief of staff have met with federal officials. Last week, McDonnell sent a formal letter to Napolitano.
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