Stewart, Cuccinelli Exchange Fire Over Immigration Policy

Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart fired back at Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli over illegal immigration on Monday, saying that nobody -- not even the pope -- is going to stop his efforts to expand a hard-line immigration policy across the state.

Stewart is pushing to expand to the rest of Virginia a Prince William law that mandates immigration checks for everyone arrested.

But Cuccinelli said in a legal analysis that a number of provisions in Stewart's draft plan are redundant or unconstitutional, drawing a sharp rebuke from Stewart Monday.

"I've run up against a lot of opposition on illegal immigration from pro-amnesty and other liberal groups," Stewart said. "I never expected to be attacked from the rear by another conservative like Ken Cuccinelli."

The showdown over illegal immigration is pitting two like-minded conservatives against each other over the hot-button issue once again boiling over in Virginia. Prince William was one of the first communities to adopt a tough law-enforcement approach similar to one passed in Arizona, and nearby jurisdictions such as Arlington and Fairfax counties have also had to square the potential minefield of balancing law enforcement, civil liberties and police-community relations.

Still, Stewart was adamant about expanding the Prince William approach statewide."Whether it's Cuccinelli or the pope, I'm not backing down on illegal immigration," Stewart said.

Furthermore, Stewart said, Cuccinelli's analysis is moot as it did not specifically review the Prince William policy he is now advocating.

"Our policy has been in effect for more than two years and has withstood all legal scrutiny," he said.

Read more at the Washington Examiner