Prince William County filed a second lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security Thursday demanding to know what happened to 4,000 illegal immigrants the county arrested and turned over to DHS for deportation.
"This is the big one," County Board Chairman Corey Stewart, R-at large, said. "I think the public has a right to know when the federal government is releasing criminal illegal aliens who have committed crimes and are a danger to public safety."
The lawsuit is the latest effort by the county to determine whether DHS is deporting the illegal immigrants or releasing them back into the community.
The county board last year filed a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain information about Carlos Martinelly Montano, who was previously arrested for drunken driving, turned over to DHS and then released -- only to kill a nun in a car accident while he was driving drunk.
When DHS failed to provide what the county thought was an adequate response, the county filed suit against the department.
Now, in the second lawsuit, the county is again accusing DHS of refusing to provide information about what happened to the 4,000 illegal immigrants the county turned over to the department.
"Homeland Security ... violates the law, evades accountability, undermines the public trust, thus disarming the ability to maintain an informed citizenry," the lawsuit reads.
DHS told the county it couldn't provide the information because that would violate the immigrants' privacy rights. The county's lawsuit argues that the privacy law cited by DHS only applies to citizens and lawful residents, not illegal immigrants.
Stewart said it's not just federal agencies that have frustrated the county board.
"I've also been very frustrated with my own party. Republicans on the Hill have been dismissive of my concerns," he said. "I've really got frustration with everybody in Washington frankly. It's really unfortunate that a local government has to sue to get the federal government to give them information."
DHS did not respond to requests for comment.
